Michael Malone reaffirms his allegiance to Nikola Jokić after a comment regarding Oklahoma City Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander raised eyebrows. Despite expressing admiration for Gilgeous-Alexander’s performance and suggesting he deserved the MVP title, Malone clarified that Jokić remains his choice for the honor.

Malone, who is currently a guest analyst at ESPN, acknowledged the heated responses from fans in Denver after he remarked on Gilgeous-Alexander’s display in Game 1. On subsequent appearances, he emphasized his support for Jokić, hoping to clear up any misunderstanding.

“I did vote for [Jokić] again this year, if I had a vote. I want to make sure the people in Denver know that because right now, I’m getting a lot of heat back home,” said Malone on ESPN before Game 2 in Oklahoma City.

While Malone spent ten years coaching the Nuggets, he was abruptly let go just days before the 2025 NBA Playoffs commenced.