I don’t know if there is a way to write this article on a Spurs site without it coming off automatically as sour grapes, but I am going attempt to do it anyway.
First, I will say congratulations to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. He’s an incredible player who has had an incredible year. For those who remember, he was traded in 2019 from the Los Angeles Clippers to the Oklahoma City Thunder with Danilo Gallinari, five first-round draft picks, and the rights to swap two other first-round picks.
The trade is
considered one of the most lopsided trades in NBA history. And the picks the Thunder acquired still haven’t fully conveyed, but the addition of Jalen Williams via the 2022 pick has been an essential piece of their success.
I will also add if I was a fan of any of the other 29 teams, I’d probably be more supportive of SGA picking up the MVP for the second year. Alas, I am a Spurs fanatic and a Wembanyama devotee and have to admit he is my choice for MVP.
But Victor Wembanyama did not start the year with MVP statistics, and the trophy is based on the entire season. I believe Maxime Aubin, who covers the Spurs and Wembanyama for the French publication L’Equipe, said it best. (See translation below.)
“Now that Shams has spoiled the news, I’m revealing my vote for the MVP award:
1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
2. Victor Wembanyama
3. Nikola Jokic
Victor Wembanyama experienced an incredible surge over the course of the season—to the point where, in my view, he became the best player in the NBA during the final few weeks. However, I believe the MVP trophy is meant to reward the best player over the entire regular season, and SGA demonstrated exemplary consistency, in addition to finishing with the best team record in the league.“
SGA was the favorite all year, and Wemby made his case in the latter half of the season. It was an uphill battle to get the voters to change their minds. I believe his making the top three was a win in an of itself.
The other difficult selling point for Wemby was his playing time. He averaged under 30 minutes compared to SGA’s 33.2 or Jokic’s 34.8. While I believe Victor does more with less time, voters often see the MVP as the player running most of the game.
So maybe Wembanyama wasn’t truly in a position to entice the voting reporters to chose him this year, but should it have been Shai Gilgeous-Alexander?
These stats suggest Jokic should have earned his fourth MVP award.
Bottom line, the league was not ready for Wemby to be MVP in the same way they weren’t ready for the Spurs to be title contenders.
And yet, here the Spurs are, walking into the Western Conference Finals against the reigning NBA champions, and the reigning two-time MVP.
How will Wemby respond? Will the stats between SGA and Victor Wembanyama in these Western Conference Finals tell a different story?
We know Wemby takes these things very seriously.
Game 1 of Western Conference Finals begins tonight. Expect a fast-paced, competitive, and often heated series.
Nothing else to say, but-
GO SPURS GO!
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