A Complete Guide to the 2021 NBA Awards Winners and Finalists

Looking back at the 2021 NBA season, I still get chills remembering how extraordinary that year was for basketball. Having covered the league for over a decade, I can confidently say that season's award races were among the most competitive I've ever witnessed. The tension reminded me of something Australian football coach Melina Torcaso once said about competition: "I think that we have to have that competition. It's very important to have competition." Her words perfectly capture what made the 2021 NBA awards so compelling - every category featured legitimate contenders pushing each other to new heights.

When Nikola Jokić secured the MVP award with 91 first-place votes, it wasn't just a personal triumph but a testament to how the game was evolving. I remember watching his games that season and thinking we were witnessing something special - a center who could orchestrate offense like a point guard while maintaining incredible efficiency. His 26.4 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 8.3 assists per game don't even tell the full story of his impact. What impressed me most was how he elevated a Denver Nuggets team missing Jamal Murray to the third seed in the brutal Western Conference. The advanced metrics loved him too - he led the league in Player Efficiency Rating at 31.3, which is just insane when you consider the historical company that puts him in. Joel Embiid finishing second with 586 total points made this one of the closest MVP races in recent memory, and honestly, I thought Embiid had a legitimate case too with his 28.5 points per game and dominant two-way play.

The Coach of the Year race particularly stood out to me because it highlighted how different approaches can succeed in today's NBA. Tom Thibodeau winning with 43 first-place votes felt like redemption for a coach many had written off after his Minnesota tenure. What he did with the New York Knicks - taking them from 21-45 to 41-31 and their first playoff appearance since 2013 - was nothing short of remarkable. I've always appreciated Thibodeau's defensive mindset, and seeing him implement that gritty identity in New York brought back memories of his Chicago Bulls days. Meanwhile, Monty Williams receiving 36 first-place votes after guiding Phoenix to 51 wins showed how voter preferences were split between dramatic turnarounds and sustained excellence.

Watching the Rookie of the Year competition unfold felt particularly special because we were witnessing the emergence of future superstars. LaMelo Ball capturing the award with 84 first-place votes didn't surprise me - his flashy passing and court vision were exactly what the Charlotte Hornets needed to become must-watch television. What did surprise me was Anthony Edwards receiving 15 first-place votes despite Minnesota's struggles. I'll admit I was skeptical about Edwards early on, but his explosive scoring ability and athleticism won me over as the season progressed. His 23.8 points per game after the All-Star break showed glimpses of the superstar he'd become.

The Defensive Player of the Year race featured one of the most dominant defensive seasons I've seen in years from Rudy Gobert. His 190 first-place votes reflected how voters recognized his game-changing impact, even if traditional stats don't fully capture it. The Utah Jazz defensive rating of 107.5 with him on the court versus 116.8 without him tells you everything about his value. Personally, I've always been fascinated by defenders who can single-handedly transform a team's defense, and Gobert's ability to protect the rim while effectively switching in space made him truly special.

When we look at the Most Improved Player award, Julius Randle's transformation was one of the great stories of that season. His jump from 19.5 points to 24.1 points per game while adding playmaking (6.0 assists) and maintaining his rebounding (10.2) demonstrated incredible growth. Having watched his career from his Lakers days, I never imagined he'd develop into the primary creator we saw that season. Jerami Grant finishing second with 140 total voting points showed how voters appreciated his transition from role player to primary option in Detroit.

The Sixth Man of the Year competition highlighted the value of instant offense off the bench, with Jordan Clarkson's 18.4 points per game in just 26.7 minutes earning him 65 first-place votes. What made his season stand out to me was his fearlessness - he had that scorer's mentality where every shot was going in, regardless of previous misses. Joe Ingles finishing second with 272 total points demonstrated how voters also valued efficient playmaking alongside scoring.

Reflecting on all these awards now, Torcaso's insight about competition rings truer than ever. The 2021 season proved that when multiple players push each other for recognition, we get to witness basketball at its absolute best. These awards weren't just about individual accomplishments but about how each player's excellence raised the level of play across the entire league. As someone who's studied basketball for years, I believe the 2021 awards will be remembered as a turning point where we saw the game evolve in exciting new directions, with big men becoming primary playmakers, defensive specialists getting their due recognition, and previously overlooked players blossoming into stars. That season reminded me why I fell in love with basketball in the first place - the constant evolution, the unexpected breakthroughs, and the sheer joy of watching athletes push beyond what we thought was possible.