Before the NBA hiatus, LeBron was building a strong case to win the MVP. Leading the Lakers to the best record in the West, he was averaging 25.7 points, 10.6 assists, and 7.9 rebounds per game on 49.8% shooting.
But even for all his heroics, he was trailing young star Giannis Antetokounmpo in the polls.
Unless something changes, it will likely be Giannis who ends up with the trophy, but it doesn’t mean James doesn’t have his own advocates. L.A. coach Frank Vogel seems pretty convinced Bron deserves the prize.
“Nobody impacts winning more than LeBron James,” Vogel said in a conference with members of the media on Saturday. “I do believe that he should be MVP this year. I hope those awards go to our two players. That’s not to take anything away from some of the other candidates.”
As biased as Vogel may be on the matter, he’s not wrong.
Even at 35-years-old, LeBron James impacts the game unlike any other player in the sport. He opens opportunities for his teammates, sets the tone for the squad at both ends of the floor, and is the vocal leader during the game and in the locker room.
Giannis is dominating, but has he done as much for L.A. as James has?
Maybe so but, either way, it’s something to think about.
