“LeBron James should be MVP”: Lakers’ Frank Vogel describes awkward encounter with Giannis Antetokounmpo

Frank Vogel says he walked past Giannis without greeting him after proclaiming LeBron James as this season’s MVP in a bubble press conference.

Traditionally, NBA players and coaches are always on cordial terms. Even if they’re on different teams. The Lakers and Bucks were in a contest to finish on top of the NBA standings heading into the season shutdown. LeBron James was the primary reason for the Lakers being up there.

Frank Vogel’s awkward encounter with Giannis

Vogel proclaimed LeBron as the MVP in his second press conference within the bubble. Both the Lakers and the Bucks are put up at the Gran Destino Hotel. So it’s hardly surprising that Vogel and Giannis bumped into each other, especially given that Giannis also had a press conference shortly after.

Also Read: Why Giannis Antetokounmpo’s decision-making is responsible for Bucks’ offensive woes in the Bubble

This wasn’t the first time this season that Vogel anointed James as the MVP. Vogel has had this take since before the NBA shut down. He said the same after the Lakers beat the Bucks in their second meeting of the season in March. So even if Giannis wasn’t aware of Vogel’s recent statement, he might have had an inkling about his feelings from before.

Frank Vogel on Anthony Davis: “In my mind he’s the Defensive Player of the Year. No disrespect to Giannis.”

— Lakers Nation (@LakersNation) September 7, 2020

A coach commending his own player as a recipient for an individual award is hardly anything to be surprised about. All coaches should definitely back their stars to the hilt. James, who’s knocked Vogel out in the Eastern Conference Finals twice in his career, has his head coach’s full respect.

There’s really no reason at all for Vogel to have a take any different than this. Even though Anthony Davis was the team’s primary offensive option in the regular season, James was the life and soul of their offense. He also acted as the quarterback on defense, although Davis’s presence was more valuable on that front.