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As the 2023-24 NBA campaign nears its midway point and the All-Star break, the race to be named the league’s Most Valuable Player has begun taking shape. Several players are more than worth of NBA MVP honors, making it difficult to predict who’ll take home the hardware once the regular season ends.
After all, there’s the Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid, who’s on pace to become the first player to lead the NBA for the third straight season since Michael Jordan did it between 1995 and 1998. There’s also the likes of Nikola Jokic, who’s kept the Denver Nuggets near the top of the West throughout the season due to his unreal play. Of course, you also can’t forget the Dallas Mavericks’ Luka Doncic, who’s a human highlight reel every time he takes to the floor.
And then there’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who has the Oklahoma City Thunder on pace for their best season in a decade.
With so many legitimate MVP contenders out there, is SGA a legitimate threat to the crown? Let’s find out.
NBA MVP Odds Update 2023-24 (1/5)
NBA MVP odds are courtesy of Bovada as of Friday, Jan. 5 at 12:50 p.m. ET.
- Joel Embiid, PHI (+250)
- Nikola Jokic, DEN (+250)
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC (+350)
- Luka Doncic, DAL (+450)
- Giannis Antetokounmpo, MIL (+1400)
- Jayson Tatum, BOS (+2500)
- Anthony Edwards, MIN (+4000)
- De’Aaron Fox, SAC (+4000)
- Tyrese Haliburton, IND (+5000)
- Kevin Durant, PHX (+5500)
- Devin Booker, PHX (+6000)
- Kawhi Leonard, LAC (+9000)
- Anthony Davis, LAL (+10000)
- LeBron James, LAL (+10000)
- Domantas Sabonis, SAC (+15000)
- Donovan Mitchell, CLE (+15000)
- Stephen Curry, GSW (+15000)
- Trae Young, ATL (+15000)
Note: 11 other players sit at +20000 or longer odds.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s Case for NBA MVP Case
Gilgeous-Alexander, drafted 11th overall in 2018, has always been seen as someone with a high ceiling, but he took his game to a completely new level during the 2022-23 campaign. He averaged a career-high 31.4 PPG on .510/.345/.905 splits, earning his first-ever All-Star Game selection and All-NBA First Team honors while finishing fifth in MVP voting.
But after an incredible campaign like that, basketball enthusiasts wondered what the Canadian point guard would have in store for an encore performance.
As it turns out, last season wasn’t a one-off performance. Gilgeous-Alexander picked up exactly from where he left off, playing to a 31.4 PPG clip while averaging career-highs in assists (6.4), rebounds (5.9), field goals made (11.3), and field-goal percentage (54.6%). He’s also finished with 30-plus points more times this season (24) than he hasn’t (8) while being tied for third in the league with five 40-point efforts.
Additionally, his defensive game has seen a massive jump as he leads the entire NBA with 2.5 steals per game.
Will Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s well-rounded game be enough to win him the 2023-24 NBA MVP award?
In theory, the MVP award is supposed to go to the player who’s been most critical to his team’s success and it’s hard to argue that isn’t happening in Oklahoma City right now.
It’s tough imagining that the Thunder would be where they are today — 23-10, No. 2 in the Western Conference — without Gilgeous-Alexander’s contributions. After all, he’s the team’s leader in points, assists, steals, minutes played, and field goals made (just to name a few). If that isn’t convincing enough, Oklahoma City’s offense rating per 100 possessions when SGA is on the court (123.9) is significantly better than it is when he’s on the bench (113.1).
If the Thunder finish as one of the top teams in the NBA, which they should have no issue doing barring any serious injuries, it’ll be because of Gilgeous-Alexander’s efforts. Not only is he capable of impressive solo accomplishments, but he also elevates the play of those around him. Chances are that the likes of Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren, and Isaiah Joe wouldn’t be having the success that they’ve seen without the 25-year-old’s ability to facilitate the offense.
So…
Is Gilgeous-Alexander a Serious NBA MVP Candidate?
As of the first week of January, I’m saying yes.
Again, the Thunder would be much further down the standings if it wasn’t for SGA’s incredible play. They’re on pace for their most wins (57) since the 2023-14 season (59) and it’s all thanks to the Canadian playmaker.
And while Gilgeous-Alexander’s MVP odds currently trail both Embiid and Jokic, the race is far from over with more than half of the season left. Besides, the NBA made it so MVP candidates must play at least 65 games to be eligible for the award and Embiid has already missed seven contests, meaning he’s just 11 missed games away from falling out of contention.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has successfully solidified himself as an NBA MVP contender this season.
As for Jokic, the Nuggets have a worse winning percentage (69.4%) than the Thunder (69.7%), which could wind up swaying voters in Gilgeous-Alexander’s favor if the situation doesn’t change.
If you’re looking to bet on the award today, going with Gilgeous-Alexander is far from a bad idea. After all, if he continues to light up the league, his NBA MVP odds will only shorten, meaning it’s best to hop on the bandwagon ASAP.
Bet: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to Win 2023-24 NBA MVP (+350)
Get 50% up to $750 on this pick on Bovada
2023-24 NBA MVP FAQ
Who won the last NBA MVP award?
- The 76ers’ Joel Embiid was named 2022-23 NBA MVP after averaging 33.1 points, 10.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.7 blocks across 66 games played.
Who has won the most NBA MVP awards?
- Milwaukee Bucks/Los Angeles Lakers legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar holds the NBA record with six MVP awards (1971, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1980).
Has a Thunder player ever been named NBA MVP?
- Kevin Durant (2014) and Russell Westbrook (2017) are the only players to have won an MVP award while playing for the Thunder.
How many point guards have been named NBA MVP?
- A point guard has been named NBA MVP 10 times throughout history. However, Bob Cousy (1), Oscar Robinson (1), Magic Johnson (3), Steve Nash (2), Stephen Curry (2), and Russell Westbrook (1) are the only PGs to do so.
Who was the last point guard to be named NBA MVP?
- Stephen Curry was the last PG to be named NBA MVP, doing so in back-to-back years (2015, 2016) with the Golden State Warriors.
