- The 2023-24 season is officially underway and some MVP candidates have distinguished themselves
- There will be 10 major candidates for the MVP award in 2024
- The favorite will have the best season on an individual and team level
The 2023-24 NBA season is off to an exciting start as we have some MVP candidates completely distinguished from the rest in terms of production, numbers, and all-around impact. Winning the MVP award this season will come down to the finest margins including team record and individual stats, but separation between some players will be almost miniscule. This season might have one of the most exciting MVP races in recent memory.
Without further ado, here are the 10 leading MVP candidates right now as we rank them based on the success they have had on an individual and team level over the first few games. While it is clearly too soon to be crowning any individual player the absolute MVP winner, we have a pretty strong indication of who the favorites are as we continue to approach the in-season tournament and the turn of the New Year.
Honorable Mention
Tyrese Maxey
2023-24 Season Stats: 30.3 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 6.3 APG, 0.7 SPG, 0.3 BPG
Without James Harden on the 76ers, Tyrese Maxey has to take a step into a bigger role and he has answered the call brilliantly so far. Maxey is on course to make his first All-Star Team and be the sidekick that Joel Embiid needs. Averaging 30.3 points per game on 50.0% from the field, 56.0% from three, and 91.3% from the stripe, Maxey has been on an absolute tear to start the season.
The 76ers currently have a 2-1 record and while Joel Embiid will be receiving the bulk of the praise, Maxey has been right there with him. The 22-year-old is bursting with potential and hopefully, Nick Nurse can find a way to get him to an All-Star level and keep Joel Embiid happy with his current standing.
10. Anthony Davis
2023-24 Season Stats: 25.8 PPG, 13.8 RPG, 3.3 APG, 1.5 SPG, 2.8 BPG
Anthony Davis received a ton of criticism following his putrid second-half performance against the Denver Nuggets on opening night when he went scoreless. Since then, however, it is hard to say that Davis has not been in his bag. So far this season, the big man is posting 25.8 points, 13.8 rebounds, and an impressive 2.8 blocks per game. LeBron James has been solid, but the reason the Lakers have a 2-2 record at least is because of Davis.
The big man has been dominant defensively, swatting shots left and right, while also finishing his chances at the rim. Shooting over 50% from the floor, the big man has not let the early criticism get to him and that is good news for Lakers fans. Davis still has a tendency to show inconsistency and that could hurt his MVP chances but so far, his numbers have been more than impressive.Â
9. De’Aaron Fox
2023-24 Season Stats: 31.3 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 6.0 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.7 BPG
De’Aaron Fox will have a chance to legitimately be in the MVP conversation if he can build on a tremendous campaign in 2023 and actually continue being one of the most clutch players in the league. So far, he has been exceptional averaging 31.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 6.0 assists per game on 48.6% from the field and 37.5% from three.
The speedy point guard looks ready to make his second straight All-Star Team and help the Sacramento Kings climb up the West rankings once again. The team currently holds a 2-1 record mainly due to Fox’s presence as a scorer, and defenses have struggled to slow him down so far. Hopefully, Fox can reach another level and boost his scoring above the 25.0 points per game average of last year.Â
8. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
2023-24 Season Stats: 26.0 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 6.3 APG, 2.5 SPG, 0.8 BPG
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was literally unstoppable last season because he added exceptional scoring ability to his natural athleticism. The All-Star and All-NBA First-Team player put up a career-high 31.4 points per game last season and he did it without having the luxury of Chet Holmgren by his side.
However, Holmgren has been playing and Josh Giddey has assumed his position as a talented all-around guard. Gilgeous-Alexander has enough help to climb the team standings in comparison to last year, and that bodes well for his MVP ranking. The superstar is averaging 26.0 points per game on 48.2% from the field over four games, and there is no reason to believe he won’t maintain those numbers or even improve upon them.Â
7. Paul George
2023-24 Season Stats: 27.3 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 4.0 APG, 2.7 SPG, 0.0 BPG
The Los Angeles Clippers now have three All-Stars in their prime with the arrival of James Harden, but the player who has been performing the best so far this season is Paul George. George has guided the Clippers to an impressive 3-1 record with their only loss coming against the Utah Jazz which went down to the wire.Â
Most people might have expected Kawhi Leonard to make a bid for the MVP award but so far, it has been the PG13 show. The player has had to carry the offense and also be consistent on defense and that places him in high regard in the MVP race. Things might change when James Harden gets on the court but until then, George has had a great start to the 2023-24 campaign.Â
6. Jayson Tatum
2023-24 Season Stats: 29.7 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 4.0 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.3 BPG
Jayson Tatum is the man in Boston and he will be an even better player with the additions of Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday. He is having another great start to a season, averaging 29.7 points per game on 37.0% from three and 55.4% from the field. The superstar is not only an elite offensive player but a growing leader as well.
The Celtics have not lost a game yet and as long as Tatum continues to perform well alongside his new teammates, it will be hard to ignore him in the MVP conversation. He is currently just outside of the top five but will get closer the more the team wins games. It is likely that Kristaps Porzingis or even Jaylen Brown won’t take a significant number of MVP votes away from Tatum, so the support he has won’t affect his MVP bid this season.Â
5. Giannis Antetokounmpo
2023-24 Season Stats: 27.3 PPG, 10.0 RPG, 2.7 APG, 1.0 SPG, 1.7 BPG
The Greek Freak just received major reinforcements this summer with Damian Lillard coming on board. There is no doubt the Milwaukee Bucks have the scariest duo in the league because they are a match made in heaven. Sure, Lillard will take some votes away from Giannis Antetokounmpo, but not enough to ignore him in the MVP race considering he won the award twice before.
He is posting a double-double and while he has not been passing as much, The Greek Freak is trying to impose his presence against every opponent because the chance for the Milwaukee Bucks to make the NBA Finals is too high to ignore. Milwaukee currently holds a 2-1 record and while Damian Lillard has been impressive (23.3 points per game), Giannis has been the star of the team so far.Â
4. Joel Embiid
2023-24 Season Stats: 31.0 PPG, 10.3 RPG, 7.0 APG, 1.0 SPG, 3.0 BPG
When looking at centers, Joel Embiid is top-two in the world. He won the MVP award last season, has earned two scoring titles, and is one of the best two-way players in the league. That means that once again, the Philadelphia 76ers star will be in the running for the MVP even if James Harden is a member of the Clippers and Tyrese Maxey has stepped into a new role.
Embiid is simply too dominant to ignore in MVP conversation even if the team does not manage to capture the same amount of wins as last year. The center is averaging 31.0 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 7.0 assists per game over three games and there is a new era starting in Philly without Harden. If the big man can lead the 76ers to a top-two or three seed, he has a great chance to snatch his second MVP award considering the circumstances of the team.Â
3. Stephen Curry
2023-24 Season Stats: 33.5 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 4.0 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.3 BPG
Stephen Curry could be going for his third scoring title if he continues at this pace. He has been scorching hot and teams cannot control him up until this point. The superstar point guard has been shooting the ball at an incredible efficiency, nailing 47.1% from three while carrying the bulk of the offense.
While Curry likely won’t finish the season with his current numbers and efficiency, he seems to still be the best at his position and it isn’t close right now. The Warriors have only lost to the Phoenix Suns so far this season, and have won the last three games. Golden State’s window for contention is not over yet and as long as Steph is playing at an elite level, you can never count them out.Â
2. Nikola Jokic
2023-24 Season Stats: 26.5 PPG, 12.3 RPG, 8.5 APG, 0.5 SPG, 1.0 BPG
Nikola Jokic failed to be the first player since Larry Bird to win three straight MVP trophies since Joel Embiid took the award home last year, but that doesn’t mean he won’t be coming for his third trophy overall. So far, he has been the second-most impressive player in the league in terms of dominance, stats, and leadership.
Jokic will average close to a triple-double again this season and will be the best player on the best team in the Western Conference by all predicted measures. The Nuggets hold the best record in the league at this point, 4-0, and Jokic has been completely unstoppable when on the court. Expect Nikola to be among the top three in the MVP race all year because the Nuggets will likely have the best record in the West again and Jokic will be the man driving them.Â
1. Luka Doncic
2023-24 Season Stats: 39.0 PPG, 11.7 RPG, 9.7 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.3 BPG
Luka Doncic has been the best player in the NBA over the past week and that is due to pure impact. Despite struggling through the first three games, the Dallas Mavericks have won every one thanks to Doncic taking over. His stats have been MVP-caliber, as usual, but his pure impact is there to see. Kyrie Irving has struggled so far this season over two games, posting only 19.5 points per game on 39.0% from the field and 16.7% from three.
That means the Mavericks’ 3-0 record comes down to Luka Magic. He has carried the team so far and we expect this to continue all season long. Teams are struggling to find a defensive solution for Luka because his shot-making is simply superb and he is a triple-double machine, making him on top of the MVP ladder at this point.
