Who Won 2021 NBA MVP?
The 2021 NBA MVP race is one of the most fascinating in recent memory. There are a number of candidates who could take home the hardware this season. But who will ultimately win 2021 NBA MVP?
Giannis Antetokounmpo
Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks has been named the 2020-21 NBA Most Valuable Player. Antetokounmpo becomes just the second player in Bucks history to win the MVP award, joining Kareem Abdul-Jabbar who won it six times.
LeBron James
LeBron James has been named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player for a record-tying fourth time.
The 35-year-old Los Angeles Lakers star was announced as the winner of the Maurice Podoloff Trophy on Wednesday, sharing the honor with Michael Jordan, whom he tied for the most MVPs in league history.
James averaged 25.3 points, 7.8 rebounds and a league-leading 10.2 assists per game this season, leading the Lakers to their first championship in a decade. He is also a four-time NBA Finals MVP and a 16-time All-Star.
Nikola Jokic
On Wednesday, the 56th annual NBA Awards took place virtually to recognize the league’s top performers from the 2020-21 regular season.
The show began with a video montage paying tribute to the late Kobe Bryant, who passed away in a helicopter crash on Jan. 26. Bryant, who won four NBA championships and was MVP in 2008 and 2009, was honored with several posthumous awards, including the Lifetime Achievement Award.
The biggest award of the night went to Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets, who was named MVP after leading his team to the Western Conference finals. Jokic became just the third center in NBA history to win MVP, joining Wilt Chamberlain and Moses Malone.
Joel Embiid
Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid has been named the 2020-21 NBA Most Valuable Player. Embiid is the fourth player in franchise history to win the award, joining Julius Erving (1981), Moses Malone (1982, 1983) and Allen Iverson (2001).
The 7-foot center averaged 28.5 points, 11.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.4 blocks in 31 games this season, leading the 76ers to the best record in the Eastern Conference (49-23).
