The NBA season is finally upon us. As we, the fans, once again get to experience the excitement and passion of basketball, we can attempt to predict who will win the six most prestigious awards. Keep reading as I will share my prediction on who I believe will win each award and why they deserve to.

Most Valuable Player (MVP):

The hallmark of these six awards is the MVP award. This prestigious award was won by center Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets in the 2020-21 season. However, this year, we will see a familiar face holding up the trophy. I believe Stephen Curry will win the NBA’s most valuable player. The Warriors are hungry and ready to dominate the league after a few years riddled with injury and poor performance. Klay Thompson will likely return to help the Warriors succeed in the playoffs. While many felt that Curry already deserved it last year, I believe Curry will convince the voters that he is worthy of the award again as his team will likely win more games. Since it seemed that the team’s prosperity was the main reason he did not win it last year, getting a few more wins under his belt this year places him as the front-runner for the award. 

Rookie of the Year:

Although Cade Cunningham was considered the best rookie in college basketball and went number one overall to the Pistons in last year’s draft, I believe that Houston Rockets shooting guard, Jalen Green, will win Rookie of the Year. Jalen Green spent last year in the G League, refusing to play for a college team. He has already shown that his superior athleticism and shooting ability makes him one of the best young players in the nation. He will most likely start for the entirety of the season as the Rockets are currently rebuilding and would aspire to play their young players as much as possible. Additionally, due to Houston’s lack of offensive threats, Jalen Green will be able to shoot the ball a lot and get his stats up.

6th Man of the Year:

The 6th Man of the Year award is always interesting as some players shift from starters to 6th Man throughout the year. I am personally debating between Tyler Herro and Jordan Clarkson. After a disappointing sophomore season, Herro is looking to prove the haters wrong and bounce back with a better season. On the other hand, Jordan Clarkson is back from an outstanding season coming off the bench. He has shown his dynamic skills offensively during the 2020-2021 season. Regardless, I prefer to go with the underdog, Tyler Herro, as my top pick for this award.

Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY):

Joel Embiid has been one of the most dominant defensive centers in the last few years. He has mentioned that he wants to be DPOY more than even the MVP. This year, I feel he will make his dream come true and win it for the first time. He has shown tremendous effort in his defensive abilities which is why he has been so intimidating to other players. His colossal frame and athleticism have helped him become one of the toughest defenders to score on. All Embiid has to do is stay healthy and play for the majority of the season, and I believe the award will be his.

Most Improved Player (MIP):

The MIP award is the hardest to predict since the award generally goes to those who have had an unexpectedly good season. However, a promising contender is Lamelo Ball. Last season, he showed the league that his vision and playmaking are elite. He also played well on the defensive side of the ball, a trait critics were judging while he played overseas in Australia. He won the Rookie of the Year award (20-21) despite missing some time due to injury. This year, if he stays healthy, he will show some tremendous progress in his scoring talents, boosting his stats and catching the eyes of voters. 

Coach of the Year:

Hornets head coach, James Borrego, is my pick for coach of the year because the Hornets are my sleeper team. While other contenders like Heat coach Erik Spoelstra and Nuggets’ Michael Malone are respectable picks, the Hornets will be the more surprising team, so the edge goes to Borrego. 

The NBA season is more exciting than ever and we, the fans, cannot wait for it to develop. NBA awards are always more surprising than we predict during the pre-season. Nonetheless, we can continue to advocate for certain players to win an award early in the season. After all, these internationally recognized awards change and shape the future of the league.