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Why Giannis Antetokounmpo should be the 2021-22 MVP front-runner

By Duncan Smith

Jul 20, 2021; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks goes up for a shot against Deandre Ayton #22 of the Phoenix Suns during the second half in Game Six of the NBA Finals at Fiserv Forum on July 20, 2021 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Mandatory Credit: Justin Casterline/Pool Photo via USA TODAY Sports
Jul 20, 2021; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks goes up for a shot against Deandre Ayton #22 of the Phoenix Suns during the second half in Game Six of the NBA Finals at Fiserv Forum on July 20, 2021 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Mandatory Credit: Justin Casterline/Pool Photo via USA TODAY Sports /
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NBA, Giannis Mandatory Credit: Kevin C. Cox/Pool Photo-USA TODAY Sports /

Why Giannis Antetkounmpo should be NBA MVP front-runner: 1. Current front-runners are overvalued

Not only is Antetokounmpo not the betting favorite for MVP next season, but he’s also only fifth on the list according to WynnBET.

Check this list out:

  1. Luka Doncic: +350
  2. Kevin Durant: +650
  3. Stephen Curry: +700
  4. Joel Embiid: +700
  5. Giannis Antetokounmpo: +750

It’s a bit ridiculous. Doncic’s Mavs will be hard-pressed to get into the top half of the Western Conference playoff bracket, let alone the top three seeds as is traditionally required for an MVP candidate. Kevin Durant’s health and longevity are worth more to the Brooklyn Nets than any short-term award, and James Harden is likely going to steal some votes (or maybe even supplant him as the Nets’ MVP candidate).

As for Stephen Curry, we’ll have to see if the Warriors can get into that top two or three seed range that an MVP needs to reach. Klay Thompson will make a big difference, but will it be enough to overcome the hurricane of historic stats and Bucks wins that Giannis will unleash? Probably not.

We can talk about Joel Embiid as a legitimate MVP candidate when he can be counted on to play more than 64 games in an 82-game schedule, which he has never done. He’s good for about three-quarters of the games his Philadelphia 76ers play, which is fine for preserving longevity, but it’s not going to win anybody MVP.

LeBron James (+1100)  isn’t in this betting mix, but the days of him being a top-tier MVP candidate (without major narrative momentum from certain broadcast partners of the NBA) are probably behind him. Nikola Jokic (+1400) is also not in this betting mix, but he probably won’t win enough games next season with Jamal Murray out for most or all of the season.