It seems like LeBron James believe’s he’s worthy of winning the MVP Award virtually every season, and this particular campaign is no diferent.
Analytics show that Giannis Antetokounmpo impacted games more — especially on the defensive end of the floor — and he made his teammates vastly better. Not only that, The Greek Freak didn’t have the benefit of playing alongside an All-Pro player such as Anthony Davis. The playoffs showed that Khris Middleton may not even qualify as a solid No. 2 option, and the team’s failure to pay Malcolm Brogdon, in an attempt to avoid paying the luxury tax, proved costly in their second-round playoff exit this season. And that’s why the Heat were simply able to park half their team in the lane by building a wall, in an attempt to slow down Giannis, and it worked.
And that’s why what Giannis did during the regular season was nothing short of remarkable. What he did during the time leading up to March 11 quantified him as the MVP Award winner in the eyes of many, but not James’. In fact, he was “pissed off” upon finding out that he didn’t win. Not only that, he didn’t even congratulate Antetokounmpo on winning the award for the second consecutive season.
“It pissed me off,” he said recently. “That’s my true answer. It pissed me off because out of 101 votes, I got 16 first-place votes. That’s what pissed me off more than anything. Not saying the winner wasn’t deserving of the MVP, but that pissed me off.”
James likely senses this may have been his final opportunity to win an MVP Award, as he’ll be 36 in December, and isn’t getting any younger anytime soon. What he’s done at this age is amazing, but Father Time always wins in the end.
