NBA Player Power Rankings: Dark Horse MVP Candidates Emerge

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Jan 31, 2017; San Antonio, TX, USA; San Antonio Spurs small forward Kawhi Leonard (2) reacts after a shot during the second half against the Oklahoma City Thunder at AT&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports /

The race for NBA MVP is as close as ever before. Which dark horse candidates are making a surge towards the top of the rankings in early February?

A new month has arrived and the race for MVP has reached its most unpredictable stage. If you polled five people about who should win the MVP award for the 2016-17 NBA regular season thus far, you might get five different answers.

One could even argue that the race goes eight players deep with the sustained emergence of unexpected candidates and the resurgent play of multi-time MVPs.

The race for MVP has included all-time statistical displays and the emergence of the most dominant fourth quarter player in the NBA. It also includes players who are more subtle statistically, but remain equally as viable in the race for the award.

Even beyond the race for MVP, this week’s edition of the Player Power Rankings is flush with high-level players who are earning or further solidifying their star status.

A testament to the depth of the Top 20 is that Nikola Jokic is this week’s honorable mention. Jokic finished the month of January with averages of 23.9 points, 11.1 rebounds, 4.3 offensive boards, 4.9 assists, 1.4 blocks, and 1.1 steals per game on 60.6 percent shooting from the field.

With a hip injury preventing Jokic from cracking the Top 20, however, the question beckons: who are the Top 20 players in the NBA and who is the current favorite for MVP?