The NBA season tends to have ups and downs and the long year can be a grind for some players. This is why those who end up winning the regular season awards are so highly honored.
Players can find a hot streak during the grueling 82-game schedule, but it's the ones who are consistent who come out on top. Each year, we see some big surprises when it comes to the awards.
This NBA season seems to be no different, with the players putting in some great performances through the first third of the year. But who wins each award this season?
Newsweek Sports has you covered with early award predictions for 2024-25.
MVP: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
This debate is one of the hardest in the entire sport. On one hand, Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, the reigning MVP, has been so dominant that it's tough to comprehend it happening in real life. But on the other, voter fatigue could be a real thing for the winner of three MVP awards in the last four seasons.
For the sake of argument, I won't go with Jokic. Instead, another former multi-time MVP takes home the prize. Antetokounmpo has been incredible when on the floor, although he has dealt with some recent injury issues. For the year, he is averaging 32.6 points, 11.6 rebounds, and 6.0 assists per contest.
Defensive Player of the Year: Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs
It seems that Anthony Davis of the Los Angeles Lakers will never win one of these honors. But Wembanyama is just that good to win this coveted award in just his second season in the league.
The Spurs rookie is averaging 1.0 steals and an astonishing 3.9 blocks per game this season. The legend of Wembanyama continues to grow and the rest of the NBA should be scared.
Sixth Man of the Year: Payton Prichard, Boston Celtics
For those who haven't been paying attention much, Pritchard has been one of the better bench players in the entire NBA this season. The young guard has helped to fuel the Celtics' dominance on the court and he has taken a massive step forward.
On the year, he has averaged 15.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game. Pritchard is also shooting 42.5 percent from beyond the 3-point line as well. His emergence this season has been great to watch and has Boston thinking about another title run.
Coach of the Year: Ime Udoka, Houston Rockets
This is the only award that isn't completely dictated by the performance of the person winning it. Udoka has the Rockets firing on all cylinders right now and they hold a top spot in the Western Conference standings.
If things hold for Houston, Udoka will likely win this honor. His leadership has this young Rockets team, currently the Western Conference's No. 3 seed at 22-11, clicking and on the verge of the postseason once again.
Most Improved Player of the Year: Tyler Herro, Miami Heat
Many will say that Jalen Williams of the Oklahoma City Thunder should win this award, but Herro has been just a little better. For the season, he has averaged 24.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game.
His efficiency from the field is what stands out most as he is shooting 47.8 percent compared to his 44.1 percent percentage from last season. If Herro continues his hot play for the remainder of the year, this could be his award to lose.
Rookie of the Year: Jaylen Wells, Memphis Grizzlies
There have been quite a few rookies this season who are deserving of this award but Wells has stood out. Being a second-round draft pick, not many expected the former Washington State product to be producing this nicely for Memphis.
On the year, he is averaging 11.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game. His 36.7 percent shooting from beyond the arch has also helped the Grizzlies reclaim their spot among the best teams in the West.
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