NBA MVP Race

For the last few years, the NBA MVP race has been fairly dominated by 2 people. From 2019-2022, 2 same people have won in this span of 4 seasons. Bucks forward Giannis Antetokuompo and Nuggets center Nikola Jokic have run away with the MVP award (Antetokounmpo winning in 2019 and 2020 and Jokic winning in 2021 and 2022). While they have deservingly won, unfortunate events like team play, injuries, and even COVID have taken over their competition in the past, and this may be the year their competition, one player in particular who has been so close, could pass up them, but the kings may stay in their throne. 

In 2019, the MVP race was between at the time Rockets shooting guard James Harden, at the time Raptors forward Kawhi Leonard, and Antetokounmpo. Harden’s team lacked team play (going from the 1st seed in the previous season to the 4th this year), and Harden himself lacked defense. Leonard was considered amazing at both sides of the ball, but injuries and the sitting out due to them this year held him back. Antetokounmpo won this year, and the year after, where there was not really much competition against him. 

However, 2021 changed for Antetokounmpo. They did win the championship this year and he himself played like his usual self, but the MVP seemed to be a very close race between Jokic and 76ers center Joel Embiid. Up until the final quarter of the season, analysts and the overall public opinion of the NBA community had Embiid winning it, but a very unfortunate injury he suffered on top of suffering COVID after ruined his chance. Jokic won his first MVP award, and the exact same sequence occurred the following year. Although Jokic had a slight edge that year, Embiid was slowly catching up and very well could have gotten it if not out. Now it’s 2023, and we have a 3 way race between the 3 mentioned in this paragraph.

March 2023 has been the closest race of MVPs arguably ever. People around the media always have different answers. Jokic has been averaging a triple double as a Center, something you don’t expect from that position, with stats of 24.7 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 10 assists per game as of March 15 while leading the Nuggets to the #1 seed in the West with, according to the media, the “worst” (but a very good) surrounding cast of the 3. However, his defense is a huge debate for arguments, which is why some people think Embiid deserves it. Embiid and the 76ers are 3rd in the East, but his star teammate Harden was injured for some time and I believe Embiid’s team has at times relied on Embiid to carry the team a lot of the games, which he has done excellently. 

He is leading the league in points, with 33.5 points per game, and adding onto his stats with 10.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists. The stats are really good, and he has Harden leading the league in assists to feed him the ball and to be passing instead of him. The Nuggets point guard Jamal Murray is more of a score first then a pass first point guard, so Jokic can take care of the assists more. Embiid is projected to be 2nd place for the 3rd straight season, but voter fatigue against Jokic and the difference of defensive ability of the two has many people putting their bias towards Embiid. 

The media has been focusing on these two the most, and despite him being in the race, I and many others feel Antetokounmpo is underrated and slept on here. The “Greek Freak” is leading the Bucks to a 50-19 record, the best in the league. Granted, he does have the most help here, but him and the difference of the second best player on that team is a huge one, and this Bucks team has been plagued with injuries and started off the season very inconsistent. The main “trio” he has of himself, Khris Middleton, and Jrue Holiday has barely played together this year, but the entire team has found enough chemistry to shine, mainly due to Antetokuompo’s dominance. 

Despite these “he has so much help” claims, do NOT let anything fool you. He is currently averaging 31.5 points per game, 11.9 rebounds per game, and 5.5 assists per game. He also has improved his jumpshot, as this year he is taking more 3s and mid range shots, leaving his “run and dunk” playstyle claims out. He is a dominant force on defense as well, being the only one of the 3 noted as a potential winner/candidate of the Defensive Player of the Year award, and the most unguardable player in the league. Yes, he was injured for a few weeks time (which caused the inconsistency of the Bucks earlier in the year) but that does not matter anymore due to the insane play of Antetokounmpo and chemistry clicking again, they stand as the best team in the NBA. Many people have considered Antetokounmpo the best player in the league since 2019, and this is the worst season to be sleeping on him, as on the NBA MVP race site he is listed in 3rd place as of last week and he currently has the 3rd best betting odds to win. 

In my opinion, Antetokounmpo has a slight edge against Embiid right now, but Embiid is slowly catching up. If he maintains this insane stretch of games he has been playing, it could be more neck and neck, and Embiid may take my personal vote. Jokic with the insane stats and carry job, with triple doubles left and right and a #1 seed is also very hard to ignore, but Antetokounmpo with similar stats and a better record has my #1 right now. Jokic/Embiid are tied for #2 in my opinion. 

As hard as it is for me to give a confident opinion on the winner, many of my peers have felt the same exact way. I asked a basketball viewer for over 20 years, a constant writer about the sport, my uncle how he feels. 

I asked him his own personal vote for MVP, and just like I said, he said Antetokuompo. “Due to his impact on both sides of the ball, the big winning streak Milwaukee has had to take the 1 seed in the East, and his insane numbers do not all deserve an MVP snub. He deserves his 3rd trophy.” Due to the common public opinion of this being arguably the most insane MVP race of all time, I asked him his opinion on this claim and he actually disagrees but just because he said it’s not the most “does not mean it is not extremely competitive” 

With plenty of time left in the season, anything can happen. Will Embiid finally go over the hump, or will Jokic and Antetokounmpo reign their dominance?