NBA Awards | MVP, Rookie Of The Year, Fantasy Waiver Wire Pickup Of The Year, & More

In this episode of the Locked On Fantasy Basketball Podcast, hosts Josh Lloyd and Ross Jackson dive into the 2025-26 NBA season's awards, blending real NBA honors with fantasy-specific accolades. They begin with the fictional 'Best Waiver Wire Pickup of the Year,' awarding it to Conner Nipple (Conner Weir) for his breakout season despite being drafted in only 18% of leagues and finishing as a top-90 fantasy player. The 'Biggest Bust' goes to Jordan Poole, who was drafted at ADP 73 but underperformed with poor stats and limited minutes. The hosts then tackle real NBA awards, naming Shea Gildas-Alexander as MVP over Nikola Jokić and Victor Wemby, citing his efficiency and impact despite fewer minutes. Conner Nipple also wins Rookie of the Year over Cooper Flagg, emphasizing his historic three-point shooting and role as a starter. Victor Wembyama is named Defensive Player of the Year, while AJ Mitchell takes Sixth Man honors. Nikhil Alexander-Walker wins Most Improved, having transformed from a bench role into a 20-point-per-game scorer. Joe Mazzulla is crowned Coach of the Year for revitalizing the Celtics after losing four starters. The episode concludes with All-NBA and All-Rookie team selections, including several 'Jalens' and surprise inclusions like Colin Murray Boyles. The hosts also deliver sponsor segments for TurboTax (in-person tax help), ADT (home security), Rocket Money (subscription management), and 5-Hour Energy (Fruity Rainbow shots). The episode ends with a tease for upcoming playoff projections, sleeper picks, and a review of the season’s fantasy hits and misses. The tone is energetic, opinionated, and heavily focused on fantasy implications, with a mix of humor, debate, and data-driven analysis.