The NBA’s annual MVP debate typically involves Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic and another clear-cut contender. This season, there are multiple dark horses who could legitimately sneak their way into the front of the line.
Boston Celtics forward Jaylen Brown is making a strong case, and one former NBA guard believes that he carries more value to the table compared to Jokic these days.
Lou Williams, a former Sixth Man of the Year winner, made his thoughts on the MVP debate very clear on February 26, after the Nuggets and the Celtics went toe-to-toe.
“If you ask me right now, I would say Jaylen Brown,” Williams said on FanDuel TV’s Run It Back. “Simply because, if you take Jokic off the floor, you still have an All-Star caliber guy that can go out there and carry your team.”
How Do The Nuggets Perform Without Nikola Jokic?
GettyNikola Jokic and Jaylen Brown have been debated as MVP candidates.
Jokic isn’t one to battle long-term injuries. After he suffered a knee injury earlier this season, the veteran center was out for a month of action. In games without Jokic this season, the Nuggets are 10-6.
Compared to their record with him, the Nuggets have won at the same rate (62%).
There’s no denying that the Nuggets are better with Jokic on the floor. It’s hard to overlook the idea that Denver might not maintain such a high winning percentage over a longer Jokic-less stretch, but nonetheless, the Nuggets have been strong without him.
Lou Williams’ Point Holds Up
GettyCeltics star Jaylen Brown doesn’t have a ton of support behind an MVP campaign.
Nobody expected the Celtics to be as strong as they are. Jayson Tatum, a frequent MVP candidate himself, is out with an Achilles injury. Heading into the 2025-2026 season, many expected a Tatum-less team to be in the Play-In picture—if not tanking. Instead, Brown and the Celtics are one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference.
“I’m not saying Boston doesn’t have [star talent]—I think they do a lot of their winning by committee—you can put the ball in Derrick White’s hands or [Payton] Pritchard’s hands to go win you a game, but just the identity of a team and how they are going right now, it’s gotta be Jaylen Brown for me in the way he’s been able to carry this basketball team,” Williams explained.
With a 38-20 record, the Celtics are second in the Eastern Conference. They currently hold a 1.5 lead over the New York Knicks and trail the Detroit Pistons by 5.5 games.
Through 52 games, Brown has averaged 29.1 points (47% from the field, 34% from three). He is posting 7.1 rebounds and 4.8 assists.
The numbers are there. So is the success of the Celtics. However, Brown doesn’t have the eye of the sports books or the forecasters.
An ESPN star poll revealed that Brown received just 43 votes from anonymous league sources to be the potential MVP winner. That ranks sixth. Basketball Reference’s MVP tracker doesn’t even list Brown in the top 10.
There’s a lack of love for Brown in the MVP conversation, despite the support he has received from ex-players like Lou Williams and current players like LeBron James. If Williams had to pick, though, he sees Brown as the more valuable player this year, compared to a guy like Jokic.
Justin Grasso Justin Grasso is an NBA reporter, covering trending league news, transactions, injuries, and player developments. He is a credentialed journalist with nearly a decade of insider access. More about Justin Grasso
More Heavy on Celtics
Loading more stories