Several NBA superstars are at risk of not receiving regular-season awards due to the 65-game minimum requirement.
The NBA ruling, which has been in place since the 2023-24 season, was part of the push against load management. Players must play at least 65 games to be eligible for major individual awards such as Most Valuable Player, Defensive Player of the Year and All-NBA team selections.
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However, this season, the 65-game rule is having unintended ramifications for several superstars dealing with injuries. For NBA insider Brett Siegel, the NBA needs to readjust the ruling, as Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Victor Wembanyama, Luka Doncic and LeBron James might not receive year-end awards.
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“It is time to readjust the NBA award minimum games restriction,” Siegel tweeted. “We are facing a scenario where Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Victor Wembanyama, and Luka Doncic all may not be eligible for awards and the All-NBA teams.”
The 65-game minimum requirement accounts for about 80% of the 82-game season, and players must not miss more than 17 games.
How many games can superstars miss before becoming ineligible for end-of-season awards?
#1 Nikola Jokic
ESPN’s Shams Charania announced Tuesday that Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic will miss at least four weeks due to a hyperextended left knee. Jokic has played in all 32 games for Denver this season, but his reevaluation date at the end of January puts him at risk of missing 17 games.
The Nuggets star has been a top-two finalist in the MVP balloting in each of the previous five seasons, winning the award three times. Jokic has also been selected to an All-NBA team for seven straight seasons.
#2 Giannis Antetokounmpo
At this point, Giannis Antetokounmpo has already missed 14 games. If the Milwaukee Bucks star misses four more games, he would be ineligible for regular-season awards. Most recently, he missed eight straight games due to a right calf strain, the same injury that kept him out of the 2024 NBA playoffs.
Antetokounmpo has been named to an All-NBA team for nine consecutive seasons.
#3 Victor Wembanyama
San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama was sidelined for 12 straight games due to a left calf strain, which gives him a six-game cushion for missed games.
Some players qualify for larger contract extensions by making an All-NBA team or winning an award. Wembanyama is extension-eligible at the end of the season, and missing the 65-game requirement could have ramifications for his next contract.
#4 Luka Doncic
LA Lakers star Luka Doncic can miss 11 more games before becoming ineligible for year-end accolades. The Slovenian star has sat out seven games for various reasons. Like Wembanyama, Doncic did not reach the 65-game threshold last season.
#5 LeBron James
Doncic’s Lakers co-star, LeBron James, is unlikely to reach the 65-game minimum requirement, as he has already missed 17 games. Given his age and the Lakers’ schedule, the likelihood of James sitting out additional games is high. If that happens, it would mark the end of his 21 straight All-NBA selections.
Edited by Kim Daniel Rubinos
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