Heading into the 2018-19 NBA season, there are more superstars than ever. Who are the top candidates for the most coveted MVP award?
The NBA is in as good a place as it’s ever been. Though the league has its problems, the quality and entertainment value of the game itself higher than ever — no small feat considering the Golden State Warriors’ vice grip on the entire association.
Despite a likely lack of mystery surrounding who will be crowned champion for the upcoming 2018-19 season, every team’s fanbase has reason to be excited for another year of basketball. The overall talent level in the NBA is at an all-time high, with stars littered across all 30 teams.
Parity will never be the NBA’s strong suit, but never have there been so many superstars and household names carrying the banner for the league, which only makes the MVP conversation that much more interesting entering a new season.
Though the Western Conference is clearly more stacked with talent, the Most Valuable Player award also takes team success, narrative and importance to one’s team into account, giving more than a few Eastern Conference players their chance to join the conversation. The question is, which players are poised to have the best season in 2018-19 and establish themselves as legitimate MVP candidates?
We’ve already answered that question for Executive of the Year, Coach of the Year, Rookie of the Year, Most Improved Player, Sixth Man of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year. Heading into the new campaign, here are the 10 most likely options to have the right combination of gaudy stats, team success and narrative to sway MVP voters.
Honorable Mentions: Nikola Jokic, Damian Lillard, Ben Simmons, Donovan Mitchell, Victor Oladipo, Rudy Gobert, Karl-Anthony Towns, DeMar DeRozan, Al Horford, Jimmy Butler, John Wall