Former NBA Vet Names This Player As His MVP This Season

This season’s MVP race is heating up. For the last few years, Nikola Jokić and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander have dominated the MVP conversation as well as the trophies that come with it. This season, however, a new name has entered the conversation.

It’s just Victor Wembanyama’s third season in the NBA, but he’s already established himself as one of the best players in the league. It seems like an inevitability that Wembanyama will be the Defensive Player of the Year this season, but he’s also been solid on the offensive end. Former NBA player Brian Scalabrine went on NBA Courtside recently and said that Wembanyama is his choice for MVP.

"Ever since I watched Wemby live, he is the most impactful player I have ever seen... Historically, the MVP has always been the greatest on/off. When it was Jokić, he won MVP, last year, it was SGA. When he's on the floor, one of the best in the NBA, and when he is off, the Spurs are like a lottery team. Wemby leads the league in on/off. Also, he is 4-1 against SGA."

Scalabrine makes a good point. Even though SGA is having another historic season, his team is pretty damn good without him. This sparks a debate that is often argued about when people are discussing MVP candidates. What does “most valuable” really mean?

Wembanyama’s defensive impact puts his “value” on a level above SGA or Jokić. No matter where he is on the court, Wembanyama’s impact is felt. So while SGA has a great case for a second MVP in a row, Wembanyama needs to be heavily considered.