The 2020-2021 NBA season is finally becoming a not-so-distant reality, with the league recently announcing the start of the year on December 22nd. As we inch closer to basketball, stories develop, rumors spread, trades are put into motion, and our predictions are once again flying rampant. As we approach the start of the season, here’s a quick look into my top three candidates for NBA MVP in the upcoming year of play.
3. Devin Booker
Although this season ended in a less than favorable manner for the Suns, there is a lot to be happy about in Phoenix. The franchise posted its best record in five years and just narrowly missed the playoffs.
The most promising aspect of the season, however, may just be the growth and progression of the 24-year-old from Kentucky who’s taking the league by storm in just his 5th year.
Since coming into the league, Devin Booker has consistently improved from year-to-year and is now coming off of his best season to date as a professional. Averaging just under 27 points per game and 6.5 assists, all while shooting 49% from the field and 36% from three, Booker has shown no signs of slowing down.
He was also named to his first NBA All-Star team this year and just narrowly missed a selection to the All-NBA third team. Regardless, Booker had a statement year and put the league on notice.
Perhaps the most impressive feat of his 2019-2020 outing was his performance in the bubble. In a late season effort to sneak into the playoffs, Booker averaged an incredible 30.5 PPG with 6 assists shooting 50% from the field.
What makes these numbers even more applaudable is that they translated to wins, eight in fact. While the Suns did not make the playoffs, they managed to go perfect in the NBA bubble with an 8-0 record and just missed out on a berth by one game to the Trailblazers on the back of Booker.
With such a strong late season effort and a steadily improving roster, the only thing keeping Booker out of the MVP discussion are wins. Thankfully for Booker, the Suns have made some key moves to turn this fantasy into reality.
In a blockbuster trade deal, the Suns were able to acquire a superstar caliber point guard in Chris Paul this offseason. Even at the age of 35, Paul has shown he can continue to compete at a high level and make his team competitive, as shown with the Thunder this year.
Adding a player like Chris Paul to your roster not only takes pressure off of Devin Booker to constantly handle the ball but also allows for him to excel off the ball and display his shooting abilities at his true position of shooting guard.
Additionally, Chris Paul has a long-lasting reputation of improving all of the players around him on a roster. Take players like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luguentz Dort for example, two players who significantly improved in the presence of Paul this season.
With all these factors considered and continuous improvement in his play, Devin Booker is primed to have a breakout year and take the next big step from superstar to an MVP caliber player.
2. Giannis Antetokounmpo
(Photo Credit: Morry Gash/Associated Press/New York Times)
There’s not much you have to say to make a case for “The Greek Freak” as next year’s MVP. The last two years speak for themselves in terms of just how dominant Giannis Antetokounmpo is and will continue to be.
Like most candidates, Giannis has also shown the ability to not remain complacent with his play and somehow improve every year despite already posting mind-boggling numbers.
In his first MVP season, he put up a ridiculous 27.7 PPG, 5.9 AST, 12.5 RPG with 1.5 blocks and 1.3 steals, a statline he would casually top the following year when he won MVP honors again.
This year Giannis improved to 29.5 PPG, 5.6 AST, 1 block, 1 steal, and a whopping 13.6 RPG, all while adding Defensive Player of the Year honors with his third all-defensive selection.
The most commendable part about both of these seasons, however, somehow does not even lie in the realm of his stats. In the last two years, the Bucks went 60-22 in 2018, and 57-17 this last year. Had the season not been cut short, the Bucks likely would have won 60 games in back to back seasons. The last team to accomplish this feat? The Golden State Warriors.
To put all of those wins in perspective, the Bucks have a combined record of 117-39 in the last two years. That’s a win percentage of 75% through two seasons.
To put it simply, there isn’t much that Giannis can’t do. He excels offensively, is one of the league’s premier defenders, and wins games at a higher rate than anyone in the league. Some analysts even go as far as labeling him as unguardable.
The only knock on Giannis’ game is that he is yet to develop a jump shot, which allows defenders to sag off of him on the perimeter. While it is true that Giannis is not a great shooter, he has steadily been improving, and that is cause for concern.
In the 2019-2020 season, Giannis posted a career-high in three point attempts (4.7) and three point percentage at 30.4%. While those numbers may not blow anyone away, it should be noted that this was his best year from the perimeter, and his attempts and percentage improve every year.
Of course, a jump shot doesn’t develop overnight, but it most certainly can develop over an offseason. Take Lonzo Ball of the New Orleans Pelicans for example. When coming into the league, Ball’s biggest complaint among analysts was his inability to shoot. Now in just his third year, Ball shoots an impressive 37.5% from three with 6.5 attempts per game.
So as of right now, Giannis may not be the best shooter, but it is clear to see that his numbers improve yearly, and he could be on track to develop a shot. If that happens, it’s hard to imagine a scenario where he doesn’t win MVP again.
With that being said and all of the tremendous feats Giannis has accomplished, it begs the question as to why he isn’t the number one spot on this list. The answer to that question, however, has a simple answer.
1. Luka Dončić
If Luka Dončić isn’t at the top of your list for MVP candidates next year, allow me to change your mind because the 21-year-old kid from Slovenia is unlike any player we’ve ever seen.
In just his second year, Dončić is doing things that some players could only dream of doing in their career, let alone their second year as a professional.
After winning rookie of the year honors and putting up 21 PPG, 6 AST, and 7.8 RPG, Dončić followed it up with an MVP caliber season averaging 28.8 PPG, 8.8 AST, and 9.4 RPG.
To put these numbers into perspective, the last and only player to put up similar passing and scoring numbers to Dončić in their sophomore year was Oscar Robertson. Even Lebron James averaged fewer points and assists in his second year, and to this day, he has not matched these numbers.
In just two years of play, Dončić is already outperforming all-time greats and putting up all-time great stat lines.
On top of all of this, Luka Dončić’s offense was historic in terms of total team offense. In fact, this Dallas Mavericks team was statistically the most efficient and productive offense in league history.
Take a minute to process that statistic. A second-year player was at the helm of one of the greatest offenses in NBA history. With all of these things considered, ESPN even named him the second-best player in terms of efficiency only behind Giannis Antetokounmpo. It doesn’t get much more special than that.
In addition to being one of the craftiest scorers in the league who can essentially score from anywhere he wants on the court, Luka Dončić is also one of the league’s most creative and precise passers.
He also led the Mavericks to their first playoff berth in 5 years as the 7th seed in an extremely competitive western conference. Many fans and analysts alike inexplicably questioned Luka’s ability to perform well in the playoffs, however.
These questionable concerns were quickly silenced as Dončić continued to play exceptional basketball as the Mavericks leading scorer and passer. Keep in mind, Dončić did all of this at the age of 20.
Upon entering the bubble, (prior to the playoffs), Dončić played out of his mind. He averaged 30 PPG, 9.7 AST, and 10.1 RPG while shooting 48% from the field.
This would only be the beginning of Dončić’s legendary bubble performance. As the 7th seed, the Mavericks were matched up against who many considered to be the best team in the west, the Los Angeles Clippers.
Despite being guarded by some of the league’s best on-ball defenders in Paul George, Patrick Beverly, and Kawhi Leanord, Dončić remained unphased and would go on to have an incredible playoff series.
He averaged an incredible 31 PPG, 8.7 AST, and 9.8 RPG, shooting 50% from the field and 36% from three. He also set the NBA record for most points in a playoff debut with 42 points. Although they did not win the series, the Mavericks and Dončić’s effort against them was something to be marveled.
It seemed that the Mavericks were simply finished with the aftermath of game three injuries, but that didn’t stop Dončić from having one of the greatest playoff performances of all time. In game 4 he posted 43 points, 17 rebounds, 13 assists, and a series-tying three point buzzer-beater, all on a tweaked ankle.
Despite Dončić’s best efforts, the Mavericks were simply outmatched and lost the series 4-2. While the result was disappointing for Dončić, many were too occupied with processing just how exceptionally well the 21-year-old played.
It was at this moment Dončić truly established himself as a superstar in this league. He would eventually go on to be named to First team All-NBA in just his second year while finishing just outside of the top three in MVP voting.
The list of stats, accolades, and flat out head-scratching performances go on and on for Dončić, and the scariest part of it all: he’s barely scratched the surface of his potential. He is a generational talent, and that greatness is going to take the league by storm in the coming years.
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