Who Is the MVP of the NBA?
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We take a look at the leading candidates for the NBA MVP award and make our case for who we think is the most deserving player.
LeBron James
LeBron James is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Often considered the best basketball player in the world and regarded by some as the greatest player of all time, James has won four NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) Awards, four NBA Finals MVP Awards, and two Olympic gold medals.
His stats
LeBron Raymone James Sr. (/ləˈbrɒn/; born December 30, 1984) is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is widely considered to be one of the greatest basketball players in NBA history. Discussions ranking him as the greatest player of all time have often included him as a contender with former Chicago Bulls guard Michael Jordan, as well as Oscar Robertson and Larry Bird. James played high school basketball at St. Vincent–St. Mary High School in his hometown of Akron, Ohio, where he was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar. A prep-to-pro, he joined Cleveland Cavaliers in 2003 as the first overall draft pick. Named the 2003–04 NBA Rookie of the Year, he soon established himself as one of the league’s premier players; he won his first MVP award in 2009 and remains a regular season and Finals MVP award recipient.
His impact
LeBron James is one of the most polarizing athletes in the world. Some people think he is the best basketball player of all time, while others believe he is overrated. Regardless of your opinion on LeBron, there is no denying that he has had a huge impact on the NBA.
LeBron was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2003 and quickly became one of the most dominant players in the league. He led the Cavaliers to the playoffs in his first seven seasons, but they were never able to win an NBA Championship. In 2010, LeBron made the controversial decision to leave Cleveland and join forces with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh on the Miami Heat. Together, they would go on to win two NBA Championships.
In 2014, LeBron made another controversial decision when he decided to return to Cleveland. He promised to bring a championship to his hometown, and he delivered. The Cavaliers won the NBA Championship in 2016, marking LeBron’s third title overall.
LeBron is currently considered by many to be the greatest player of his generation. His impact on the game of basketball cannot be overstated. He has transcended the sport and become a global icon. There is no doubt that LeBron James has had a profound impact on the NBA.
Giannis Antetokounmpo
Giannis Antetokounmpo is an Greek professional basketball player for the Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is the reigning MVP of the NBA. He is also a two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year.
His stats
In his seventh season, Giannis is averaging 29.6 points (on a career-high 58.3 percent shooting), 13.7 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.2 blocks in just 32.8 minutes per game while leading the Bucks to the best record in the NBA at 60-22.Altogether, he is averaging 27.7 points, 12.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 1 block and 1 steal per game while shooting 58 percent from the field and 30 percent from three-point range in his seven-year career.
His impact
Giannis Antetokounmpo has been nothing short of sensational this season. The Milwaukee Bucks superstar is averaging 27.7 points, 12.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.5 blocks per game while shooting a career-high 57.8 percent from the field and 31.6 percent from three-point range. He’s also shouldering a team-high usage rate of 30.7 percent while playing a career-high 34.8 minutes per game.
All of those numbers are impressive in isolation, but what’s even more impressive is how they stack up against the rest of the league’s superstars. Among players who are averaging at least 20 points per game, Antetokounmpo ranks first in player efficiency rating (PER), fourth in win shares per 48 minutes and sixth in box plus/minus. He’s also first in the league in Value Over Replacement Player (VORP), which measures a player’s contributions relative to a replacement-level player at his position. In other words, if you took Giannis off the Bucks and replaced him with a hypothetical “replacement level” player who was just good enough to keep Milwaukee from tanking, that player would be worth less than one win over an 82-game season relative to Giannis Antetokounmpo
Kawhi Leonard
Kawhi Leonard is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Clippers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Leonard played two seasons of college basketball for the San Diego State Aztecs, and was named a consensus second-team All-American as a sophomore. He was selected by the Indiana Pacers with the fifteenth overall pick in the 2011 NBA draft, but was traded to the San Antonio Spurs on draft night. In his seven seasons with the Spurs, Leonard became a two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year and won an NBA championship in 2014. He was named the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player in 2014, and was traded to the Toronto Raptors in 2018. In his two seasons with the Raptors, Leonard helped the team win their first NBA championship in franchise history and was named the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player in 2019. He signed with the Clippers in 2019.
His stats
Kawhi Leonard is a professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Clippers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for one season with the San Diego State Aztecs, and was named a consensus second-team All-American as a freshman. He was selected by the Indiana Pacers with the fifteenth overall pick in the 2011 NBA draft, but was immediately traded to the Spurs.
During his time with the Spurs, Leonard won an NBA championship in 2014 and was named the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player. He was also a two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year, and is widely regarded as one of the best perimeter defenders in all of basketball. In 2018, he was traded to the Raptors, where he would go on to win another championship and Finals MVP award.
In 2019, Leonard led Toronto to their first ever NBA Finals appearance. In Game 7 of that series, he hit a game-winning shot over Joel Embiid that will go down as one of the most iconic moments in Raptors history.
On July 6th, 2019, Leonard made headlines again when he chose to sign with his hometown Los Angeles Clippers instead of re-signing with Toronto.
His impact
Kawhi Leonard is one of the best players in the NBA. He’s an incredible scorer, rebounder, and defender. He’s also an excellent shooter, both from long range and from the free throw line. He’s a two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year and a two-time NBA champion. He was also named the NBA Finals MVP in both of his championship seasons. Simply put, he’s one of the most complete players in the league.
During his time with the San Antonio Spurs, Leonard established himself as one of the best two-way players in the league. He was a key member of their team, and helped them win championships in 2014 and 2016. In 2017, he was traded to the Toronto Raptors. And while some thought that he might not be able to have the same kind of impact with a new team, he proved them wrong. In his first season with the Raptors, he led them to their first ever championship, and was once again named Finals MVP.
Kawhi Leonard is an incredibly valuable player, both on and off the court. His impact on any team is huge, and that’s why he’s considered to be one of the best players in the NBA.
Joel Embiid
Joel Embiid is the MVP of the NBA. He is a center for the Philadelphia 76ers and he is one of the best players in the NBA. He is also one of the best defensive players in the NBA.
His stats
Born in Yaoundé, Cameroon, Joel Embiid originally played volleyball in high school but switched to basketball in 2013. In 2014, he enrolled at the University of Kansas, where he played for the Jayhawks for one season before being drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers with the third overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft.
Embiid quickly became one of the league’s best players. He was named to the All-Rookie First Team in 2016 and was a two-time NBA All-Star (2018 and 2019). In addition, he was named to the All-NBA Second Team in 2018 and the All-NBA Third Team in 2019. He has also been named the NBA Defensive Player of the Year twice (2019 and 2020).
Despite his many accomplishments, Embiid has only played in 31% of his team’s games since being drafted due to injuries. In particular, he has suffered from several foot injuries that have caused him to miss large chunks of each of his first four seasons.
His impact
Joel Embiid is one of the most dominant forces in the NBA today. The Philadelphia 76ers star center is a two-time NBA All-Star and was named to the All-NBA First Team in 2019. He is also a two-time Defensive Player of the Year, winning the award in 2019 and 2020. In just four seasons, Embiid has cemented himself as one of the best players in the league.
Offensively, Embiid is a nightmare for opposing defenses. He has great footwork and an impressive array of post moves that allow him to score against anyone. He is also an excellent three-point shooter, shooting 34.8% from beyond the arc for his career. His ability to space the floor and shoot threes make him an incredibly tough cover for opposing big men.
Defensively, Embiid is equally as impactful. He is an elite rim protector, averaging 2.5 blocks per game for his career. His large frame and long arms make it difficult for opponents to score around him. He is also a very good rebounder, averaging 11.2 rebounds per game for his career.
Overall, Joel Embiid is one of the best players in the NBA today. His combination of elite offensive and defensive abilities make him a nightmare for opposing teams. He is a two-time NBA All-Star and a two-time Defensive Player of the Year. In just four seasons, he has established himself as one of the best players in the league.
Russell Westbrook
Russell Westbrook is the current MVP of the NBA. He is a point guard for the Oklahoma City Thunder. He is known for his high energy and his ability to make plays. He is also a good rebounder and defender.
His stats
In the 2016-2017 NBA season, Westbrook averaged a triple double. He is the first player to do so since Oscar Robertson in 1961-1962. He averaged 31.6 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 10.4 assists per game.
His impact
On the court, Westbrook averaged a triple double with 31.6 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 10.4 assists per game. He became the second player in NBA history to average a triple double for an entire season, joining Oscar Robertson who did it in 1961-62. Westbrook also set the single season record for most triple doubles with 42, breaking Robertson’s record of 41. He was named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player for the 2016-17 season.
Westbrook is an explosive scorer and a gifted athlete. He has great strength and speed, and he is one of the best rebounders at his position. He is also an excellent ball-handler and a good passer. Westbrook is a very intense player who competes hard on both ends of the court.
Off the court, Westbrook is known for his fashion sense and his charity work. He has launched several fashion lines and has been involved in various philanthropic endeavors.
