MVP Voter Mark Jackson Admits Mistake In Not Voting For Nikola Jokic

NBA MVP voter Mark Jackson is watching basketball with his eyes closed.

The ESPN broadcaster sparked backlash on NBA Twitter after sharing his top-five NBA players in MVP voting this season.

Jackson somehow left out Denver's Nikola Jokic from his list — a surefire top-five player for the 99 other MVP voters. Add that Jokic helped the Nuggets claim the West's top seed, and Jackson's snub is something to question.

Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers and Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)

Former NBA viewer, Mark Jackson. (Photo by Mike Lawrie/Getty Images)

Those that expected ESPN-level insight from an ESPN pundit weren't as surprised.

Hopping on SiriusXM NBA with Justin Termine and Eddie Johnson, Jackson outed himself as the lone MVP voter that omitted Jokic from his top-five voting. Addressing the snub Thursday afternoon, Jackson apologized for leaving out Jokic and even offered to give up his MVP vote for the oversight.

"Mistake," the former NBA player and coach said. "One thing I live by, you make a mistake, you own it. I’m not a guy that does it for clicks or to be trending. Absolute mistake made by me. I am thinking, how did I make that mistake? You can tell I put one center, two forwards and two guards, so I wasn’t even thinking."

READ: REACTIONS TO JOEL EMBIID’S MVP OVER DENVER’S NIKOLA JOKIC CALL IT A ‘SYMPATHY AWARD’ FROM NBA

In the end, the trophy went to Embiid. But by now, Jackson feels the gravity of his mistake, even if it wasn't the difference between Jokic losing the MVP or winning it.

Mark Jackson Backtracks Bold Top-5 List

Jackson added, "I apologize to the Denver Nuggets. I apologize to Nikola Jokic, who is not only in the MVP discussion and deserved to be on my ballot, but he’s one of the greatest players in the history of this game.

"He’s a top-10 center of all-time. I own it. If you want to take away my vote, or do whatever, more than welcome, I made a mistake."

Jackson followed up his SiriusXM NBA apology with a tweet.

"Made an honest mistake with my MVP votes. My apologies to the Denver Nuggets and Nikola Jokic. He’s not only a legitimate MVP candidate who deserved my vote, but he is truly one of the all time greats! Again my apologies."

By season's end, it was a two-man race for the NBA's MVP award between Philadelphia's Joel Embiid and Denver Nuggets' Nikola Jokic. The Joker nearly averaged a triple-double per game — 24.5 PTS, 11.8 REB, 9.8 AST — as he led the Nuggets to a Western Conference-best 53-29 record.

Jackson won't have to worry about being the worst NBA commentator on ESPN; Kendrick Perkins holds that spot.