LeBron James reveals his very LeBron James vote for MVP
Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James has never been shy about speaking his mind when it comes to his value as a player.
And things are no different this year. In fact, James recently revealed that if he was given the chance to vote for the NBA MVP, he would pick himself.
“I would vote for me,” James told The Associated Press. “The body of work, how I’m doing it, what’s been happening with our team all year long, how we’ve got so many injuries and things of that nature, guys in and out, to be able to still keep this thing afloat, I definitely would vote me.”
James certainly is having one of the best seasons of his career. He’s averaging 27 points per game — his highest mark since the 2009-2010 season — to go along with 8.6 rebounds per contest and 9.1 assists.
The assists represent a career high, while the rebounds match last season’s career high. What’s more, he’s shooting nearly 50 percent from the field.
And it goes beyond the numbers. James is 33 years old, but has not yet showed any signs of decline. Point guard Kyrie Irving is no longer with the team, and forward Kevin Love has missed 21 games due to injury, but James has yet to miss a contest this season.
In effect, James really is doing it all for the Cavaliers, who are currently third in the Eastern Conference.
James has won the MVP award four times in his career, but he thinks this season might be his best.
“I’ve said it,” James said. “Obviously, I’ve had some unbelievable seasons before, but I’ve said it: This is the best I can go, just from a complete basketball player standpoint.”
Miami Heat guard Dwayne Wade, one of James’ best friends and his former teammate, thinks what the Cavaliers star is doing is nothing short of incredible.
“He’s continued to prove everybody wrong and find new levels,” Wade said. “In his 15th season, to be 33 years of age and to be playing the way he’s playing, as consistent as he’s playing, that is as impressive as anything that anybody has ever done.”
Though James is certainly having an impressive year, he’s far from a lock to win the MVP, particularly with other superstars around the NBA also posting strong statistical seasons.
Houston Rockets guard James Harden currently leads the league in scoring (30.7 ppg) and his team is easily the best in the NBA. Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook, meanwhile, is averaging nearly a triple-double per game, and New Orleans Pelicans forward Anthony Davis is second in scoring (28.3 ppg) and fifth in rebounds (11.1 rpg).
The point is, James will definitely be in the conversation to win an MVP, but the competition is stiff.
As noted by the AP, winning a fifth MVP wouldn’t define the future Hall of Famer’s career, but it would be icing on the cake for a player who seems to be aging like fine wine.
“At this point in my career, I’m just trying to break the mold, break the narrative of guys in their 15th year … I’m trying to do things that have never been done before,” James said. “It’s crazy because I’m not setting out to do it. It’s just kind of happening organically. I’m just training my body and training my mind and going out and playing and seeing what happens.”
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