Get ready to watch the basketball world’s elite shine as we unveil the top 10 MVP candidates for the 2023-24 NBA season.
The 2023-24 NBA season is poised to be a basketball extravaganza, with the league’s most exceptional talents gearing up to showcase their s𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁s on the grandest stage. As the countdown to tip-off begins with under one week to go, fans and pundits alike eagerly anticipate the race for the prestigious Most Valuable Player award. In this article, we’ll delve into the top 10 MVP candidates for the upcoming season.
From established superstars to rising young talents, the 2023-24 NBA season promises an electrifying MVP race that will captivate basketball enthusiasts worldwide. Here are the 10 MVP candidates for the upcoming campaign based on predicted impact and team success. As good as most of these players are, there will only be one man to take the trophy home.
10. De’Aaron Fox
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De’Aaron Fox will have a chance to legitimately be in the MVP conversation if he can build on a tremendous campaign in 2023 and actually continue being one of the most clutch players in the league. The speedy point guard was difficult to handle by defenders because his confidence was through the roof as he averaged a career-high 25.0 points per game to go along with 6.1 assists per game.
In 2024, if Fox can lead the Sacramento Kings to a solid top-three seeding in the West, he will receive some MVP votes even if his winning the award is unlikely. What remains to be seen is if Fox can shoot more than 32% from three because he has yet to hit a mark that will make him almost unguardable when he has the ball.
9. Kawhi Leonard
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Kawhi Leonard will hopefully be healthy this upcoming season. He has all the tools, physical and mental, to lead the Los Angeles Clippers to a championship because of what he can do on the court and also because of how well his teammates complement his playing style. The issue has been Leonard can’t stay healthy and that has 𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁ed the Clippers’ title chances year after year.
If Kawhi is healthy and plays at least 65 games, he will be in the MVP conversation because he is a top-10 player in the world when he plays. We predict that Leonard will finally play 65 games for the first time since 2016-17 with the San Antonio Spurs and that bodes well for a team that also features big names such as Paul George and Russell Westbrook as we continue to see if James Harden can be added.
8. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was literally unstoppable last season because he added exceptional scoring ability to his natural athleticism. The All-Star and All-NBA First-Team player put up a career-high 31.4 points per game last season and he did it without having the luxury of Chet Holmgren by his side. In 2024, reinforcements will be there.
As a result, expect the Oklahoma City Thunder to win at least 40 games and challenge for a guaranteed playoff seeding instead of settling for a play-in spot. There is so much talent on the team and Shai headlines all of them, meaning it is only natural for the 25-year-old to earn some valuable MVP votes by the end of the regular season campaign.
7. Anthony Davis
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Anthony Davis stated he wants to play 82 games, and while he won’t get to that number, he will play 65. The big man has seemingly had enough of his poor reputation as an injury-prone star because it is holding back his legacy when looking at his resume as a whole. Eight All-Star and four All-NBA appearances should not tell the story of one of the most talented bigs of all time.
Rather, Davis could and should be a perennial MVP candidate every season going forward because he is only 30 years old. Assuming Davis plays 65 games, and we predict he will, the big man will be heavily involved in MVP talks although having LeBron James by his side will take away some of his votes, naturally, even if they aren’t necessarily heading The King’s way.
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The Phoenix Suns have three All-Stars in their prime, but the man on the team is Devin Booker. He is the most capable right now due to his age and the fact that he has played all eight years of his career in Phoenix. He knows the culture, knows the city, and has been to the NBA Finals back in the 2020-21 season. Therefore, he will earn the bulk of the MVP votes if the Suns do well.
It is expected that the Suns will do well, considering the level of talent they have. However, defensive uncertainties and lack of depth could come back and harm Phoenix at the end of the season which could mean that Booker won’t earn the maximum amount of MVP votes needed to win the award. Not to mention, Kevin Durant will be stealing some votes as well.
5. Joel Embiid
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In terms of pure domination by big men, Joel Embiid is top-two in the world. He won the MVP award last season, has earned two scoring titles, and is one of the best two-way players in the league. That means that once again, the Philadelphia 76ers star will be in the running for the MVP award even if James Harden is no longer feeding him the ball.
Embiid is simply too dominant to ignore in MVP conversation even if the team does not manage to capture the same amount of wins as last year. The Cameroonian has averaged at least 30 points per game for two straight seasons and if he does it again, he will finish top-five in MVP voting which is a massive achievement in today’s NBA landscape.
4. Jayson Tatum
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Jayson Tatum is the man in Boston and he will be an even better player with the additions of Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday. Tatum won’t need to force the issue on offense at times and can just play his game which is built on sweet shooting and a deep bag when it comes to scoring the ball. What can really elevate Tatum’s game is domination on the defensive end.
Tatum has the physical tools to be an elite defensive player and Jrue Holiday will show him the ropes in that regard just as Marcus Smart did before him. If Tatum continues to improve his all-around game and the Celtics win at least 60 games which is expected, he will earn enough MVP votes to at least challenge the three players ahead of him in the race.
3. Luka Doncic
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When is Luka Doncic going to win the MVP award? That is the question because he will one day carry that accolade and it remains to be seen if that will be this upcoming season. The Slovenian is a triple-double threat after all and as an individual, he might be the most important player for an NBA franchise right now even if Kyrie Irving plays for the Mavericks.
Doncic will likely hover around a triple-double again but what could set him back in MVP voting is team record. The Dallas Mavericks missed the play-in tournament last season and only won 38 games, so it isn’t likely the team will somehow add another 20 games to that in 2024. That might mean Luka doesn’t end up with the MVP award but he will come close.
2. Giannis Antetokounmpo
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The Greek Freak just received major reinforcements this summer with Damian Lillard coming on board. There is no doubt the Milwaukee Bucks have the scariest duo in the league because they are a match made in heaven. Sure, Lillard will take some votes away from Antetokounmpo, but not enough to take the two-time MVP out of the top three.
Giannis will have himself an excellent all-around season based on efficiency, defense, and commitment to winning with Lillard as his sidekick. As the best player on the team, Giannis Antetokounmpo will likely lead the Bucks to at least 60 wins as the rest of the league becomes on notice that he wants his second championship. However, one player is slightly ahead of him in MVP odds.
1. Nikola Jokic
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Nikola Jokic failed to be the first player since Larry Bird to win three straight MVP trophies since Joel Embiid took the award home last year, but that doesn’t mean he won’t be coming for his third trophy overall. In terms of impact, no player was better than Jokic last year, as the Denver Nuggets finished the year as NBA champions.
In 2024, it won’t be an easy task for Denver to repeat as champions since the Milwaukee Bucks, Boston Celtics, and Phoenix Suns improved tremendously. During the regular season, however, Jokic will continue being dominant as he will probably average similar numbers as last year (24.5 points, 11.8 rebounds, 9.8 assists per game) while being the favorite for the coveted MVP award.
