On May 2, the NBA officially announced Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid as the 2022-23 MVP. For most of the season, it seemed as though the Denver Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic would become the fourth player in NBA history to win back-to-back-to-back MVPs. However, Embiid pulled away in the final weeks of the season to cap off a career year with the MVP title.
Jokic finished second behind Embiid, earning 15 first-place votes. Behind him was the Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo with 12 first-place votes. The top five was rounded by Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics) and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder). However, with these five players earning MVP nominations, it put an end to a historic streak.
LeBron Misses Out On MVP Votes For First Time Ever
There is no debating that LeBron James is one of the greatest players to every pick up a basketball. He entered the league 20 years ago as a fresh-faced 18-year-old out of St Vincent-St Mary’s High School in Akron, Ohio. However, his impact was immediately felt around the league. Even as a rookie, LeBron finished 9th in MVP voting. Over the next 19 seasons, he has four MVP titles. In 2021, he broke the record for the most number of seasons receiving MVP votes. The previous record was set at 17 by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Last year, LeBron received a single vote for MVP, setting his streak at 19 seasons. That was despite only playing 56 games for the Lakers.
However, with LeBron receiving zero votes for the 2022-23 season, his historic streak is over. It is the first time in the legend’s career that he has not received at least one MVP vote. It does not come as a surprise to many though. LeBron saw an overall decline across the board statistically in a season significantly impacted by injury. While LeBron is showing no sign of retiring and has publicly stated that he wants to at least share the court with his son, Bronny, his days of MVP consideration may be over. Despite this, LeBron could be in line for another ring this year. His Lakers are currently 1-0 up against the Warriors in the second round of the NBA playoffs.
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