Season Archives

RANKINGS

Full player rankings for ten consecutive NBA regular seasons (2015–16 through 2024–25), scored with the APEX v4.2 model. Each season is normalized independently — scores are not directly comparable across years.

Pillar scores use K-means offensive archetype peer groups (Shot Quality, Creation & Playmaking, Physical Contribution), BBall-Index defensive role groups (Defensive Impact), and the full qualified pool for Offensive Impact (O-EPM, O-LEBRON, OBPM).

2024–25
Current Season Divergence
APEX #1 Nikola Jokić
MVP Winner Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

APEX diverges: Jokić leads all three RAPM-family offensive composites (O-EPM, O-LEBRON, OBPM). SGA wins the actual MVP on OKC's 68-win record and scoring title — neither are APEX inputs. An analytically defensible split.

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2023–24
Agrees
APEX #1 Nikola Jokić
MVP Winner Nikola Jokić

Jokić #1 at 76.6, ahead of Luka (76.3) — confirmed after v4.0 pool expansion corrected the normalization. Jokić led LEBRON, BPM, WS/48, and VORP. Voters agreed with his third MVP.

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2022–23
Divergence
APEX #1 Nikola Jokić
MVP Winner Joel Embiid

Classic voter fatigue. After back-to-back MVPs, Jokić still had the analytically stronger season across every pillar. Embiid takes the award on a scoring title and a fresh narrative arc.

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2021–22
Agrees
APEX #1 Nikola Jokić
MVP Winner Nikola Jokić

Jokić's second consecutive MVP. APEX agrees unanimously — his combination of Offensive Impact, Creation & Playmaking, and Physical Contribution pillar scores represents one of the strongest multi-pillar performances in the backtest.

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2020–21
Agrees
APEX #1 Nikola Jokić
MVP Winner Nikola Jokić

Jokić's breakout MVP. APEX agrees across all five pillars — his combination of offensive creation, playmaking, and physical contribution was dominant and without peer in the shortened 72-game season.

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2019–20
Agrees
APEX #1 Giannis Antetokounmpo
MVP Winner Giannis Antetokounmpo

Giannis's second consecutive MVP. APEX agrees — elite Defensive Impact paired with the highest Offensive Impact score in the dataset that season made the case unambiguous across every pillar.

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2018–19
Agrees
APEX #1 Giannis Antetokounmpo
MVP Winner Giannis Antetokounmpo

Giannis's first MVP. APEX agrees — his combination of Offensive Impact and Defensive Impact was the strongest two-way season in the league, with no credible rival across the full five-pillar model.

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2017–18
Agrees
APEX #1 James Harden
MVP Winner James Harden

Harden's Rocket MVP season. APEX agrees — elite offensive creation and shot quality separated him from the field. LeBron and Jokić appear in the top 5 as the new generation of versatile creators arrives.

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2016–17
Divergence
APEX #1 Draymond Green
MVP Winner Russell Westbrook

APEX picks Draymond — one of the strongest defensive seasons in the dataset, paired with elite creation. Westbrook wins the actual MVP on his historic 42-game triple-double streak, a narrative achievement that isn't an APEX input.

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2015–16
Divergence
APEX #1 Kawhi Leonard
MVP Winner Stephen Curry

APEX picks Kawhi — an elite two-way season with the best Defensive Impact score in the dataset and top-5 Offensive Impact. Curry wins the unanimous MVP on the Warriors' record 73-win season, which is not an APEX input.

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