May 21, 2025 | New York, NY – By Sports Central News Staff
In a stunning turn of events that has sent shockwaves through the NBA community, legendary broadcaster Mike Breen has broken his long-standing neutrality and taken a fiery stand against the league’s decision to award the 2024-25 NBA Most Valuable Player to Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
During a post-game segment on ESPN following Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals, Breen, known for his iconic “BANG!” calls and objective commentary, launched into an uncharacteristically emotional critique of the league’s MVP voting process.
“This is a travesty,” Breen said, his voice rising. “With all due respect to Shai — he’s had a phenomenal year — but there is no way he should’ve won MVP over Nikola Jokić. Not this year. Not with what Jokić did for Denver. It’s not even close.”
The Oklahoma City Thunder guard, who averaged 31.4 points, 6.2 assists, and 5.5 rebounds this season while leading his young team to a #1 seed in the West, edged out Nikola Jokić and Giannis Antetokounmpo in the final voting tally, winning the award for the first time in his career.
Breen, however, wasn’t buying the narrative.
“Jokić was historic. He was the backbone of the Nuggets. He put up 26-12-9, made teammates better, dominated efficiency metrics, and carried a heavy load night after night. This guy practically plays chess while everyone else is playing checkers — and yet, voters went for flash over substance. Again.”
What surprised many was Breen’s candidness, given his reputation for professionalism and neutrality. Social media exploded within minutes of his comments airing live, with some fans applauding his honesty, while others criticized him for “disrespecting” SGA’s breakout campaign.
“This isn’t about Shai,” Breen clarified later. “He’s elite. He’ll win more awards. But the MVP is supposed to represent the most valuable — not the most exciting, not the best story. And if we’re being honest, Nikola Jokić was robbed.”
This year’s MVP race was one of the tightest in recent history. Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 68 first-place votes, Jokić with 62, and Giannis a distant third. Analysts cited “voter fatigue” and “desire for new narratives” as possible influences on the final outcome.
When reached for comment, a league spokesperson stated, “We respect the opinions of our broadcast partners. The MVP award is decided through a rigorous voting process by a panel of journalists and broadcasters who assess the entire body of work across the season.”
While the Thunder celebrate their star’s milestone and prepare for the rest of the playoffs, it’s clear this year’s MVP selection will remain a topic of passionate debate — especially now that one of the NBA’s most respected voices has weighed in so forcefully.
Whether Breen’s critique prompts change or simply fuels the discourse, one thing is clear: the 2025 MVP race won’t be forgotten anytime soon.
