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Mark Jackson didn’t know what he was voting for when he left Nikola Jokic off MVP ballot
Mark Jackson didn't know what he was voting for when he left Nikola Jokic off MVP ballot,ESPN NBA analyst Mark Jackson apologized on Thursday for leaving Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic off of his MVP ballot, calling the situation an "honest mistake."

Mark Jackson didn’t know what he was voting for when he left Nikola Jokic off MVP ballot

ESPN NBA analyst Mark Jackson apologized on Thursday for leaving Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic off of his MVP ballot, calling the situation an “honest mistake.”

Made an honest mistake with my MVP votes. My apologies to the Denver Nuggets and Nikola Jokic. He’s not only a legitimate MVP candidate who deserved my vote, but he is truly one of the all time greats! Again my apologies

— Mark Jackson (@MarkJackson13) May 11, 2023

The 1987-88 Rookie of the Year was the only media member not to include Jokic in his top-five vote-getters, instead choosing Joel Embiid, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jayson Tatum, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Donovan Mitchell. Embiid ended up winning his first career MVP, with Jokic (the winner of the last two awards) finishing in a distant second, Antetokounmpo coming in third, Tatum finishing fourth and Gilgeous-Alexander placing fifth.

Jackson detailed his stunning choice recently on “NBA Today” on SiriusXM, explaining that he thought he was submitting a vote for All-NBA teams. The former Golden State Warriors head coach said, according to a TMZ Sports report, that if he had known he was voting for MVP, he would’ve put Jokic third, behind Embiid and Antetokounmpo.

The oversight — as jarring as it was — now makes a little more sense after Jackson’s explanation. With Embiid handily winning the MVP over Jokic this season, that would leave him as the representative for center on most First Team All-NBA ballots, with Antetokounmpo and Tatum taking the forward spots and SGA earning one of the guard spots. While Jackson evidently had Mitchell as a First Team All-NBA guard, the Cleveland Cavaliers star ended up being voted onto the second team, with Dallas Mavericks stud Luka Doncic sharing the backcourt with Gilgeous-Alexander.