Stephen A. Smith has revealed who he is rocking with for NBA MVP. As the NBA playoffs are starting up, Stephen A. picked his MVP this morning on First Take. The MVP race is a three-way battle between Denver's Nikola Jokic, Dallas's Luka Doncic, and Oklahoma City's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. All three have had incredible seasons leading their teams, but one guy is hands down the MVP, Stephen A.
Jokic is a two-time MVP and defending NBA champ with the number two team in the West. Luka has put up ridiculous numbers in Dallas this season, leading the Mavericks to the 5th seed. SGA has led the unlikely OKC Thunder to the 1-seed in the West, putting up ridiculous numbers in the process. It's a tough call between the three, but votes for awards are coming in, and Stephen A. is confident in his pick. Stephen A.
Stephen A.'s MVP Pick
Stephen A. Smith has chosen Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as his NBA MVP. Stephen A. made the case to Shannon Sharpe and Molly Qerim, citing Gilgeous-Alexander's historic season, which was full of accomplishments. Picking over the consensus pick Jokic is befitting of Stephen A., who is known for his strong takes. Stephen A. may be proven right, depending on how things unfold in the postseason. Shai led the second-youngest roster in the league to the top spot in the tough Western Conference. Furthermore, Shai put up incredible numbers on offense, possessing one of the smoothest playstyles in the league. No one expected this so soon for OKC, and their success might mean hardware for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
The NBA MVP award has a lot of different factors tied to it. Factors include Team success and individual stats, as well as the overall narrative of the season. Shai has a great narrative, leading OKC out of nowhere into the top team in the West. Luka Doncic and, more so, Jokic are equally deserving, but Jokic already has two MVPs, and Luka's team isn't as good as Gilgeous Alexander. Voters might be looking for new blood to award. In any case, Stephen A.'s pick is a smart one. Only time can tell who the real MVP of a season was anyway. We will hopefully get these MVP candidates playing head-to-head in the playoffs to prove whose award it really is.