If the regular season MVP was given to the best player in the NBA, Michael Jordan would’ve won it every year that he was in the league. If it was given to the ‘most valuable player’ in the league, MJ would’ve won it every year that he was in the league as well. Unfortunately for voters, there isn’t just one definition for this award.
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One definition for being the MVP could be being the best player on the best team. The best team is decided by the record that they hold. If your team has the best overall record and you’re the superstar of that team, perhaps you should win MVP. However, are you really the most valuable if you’re the best player on a team surrounded by incredible pieces?
There are all instances where this award can be defined in a litany of ways. Finding the right amalgamation to prove your point towards who the rightful MVP for a season is what makes discourse over the topic fun.
Charles Barkley on winning MVP over Michael Jordan
Charles Barkley made a recent appearance on Altitude Sports Radio to discuss the ongoing debate on whether Nikola Jokic deserves a 3rd straight regular season MVP or not. In the midst of the discussion, Chuck would talk about how he won MVP in 1993 but wasn’t the best player in the league at the time.
“I won MVP over him. Was I a better player? Nope. That year, my Phoenix Suns had the best record in the NBA and I deserved the MVP,” said the ‘Round Mound of Rebound’.
Chuck was both humble but confident in this statement of his. The Suns did have the best record in the 1992-93 season at 62-20 while Jordan’s Bulls were 5 wins shy, putting up 57 wins on the season. The difference between Chuck’s season that year and MJ’s was that the former was two wins away from an NBA championship.
Of course, Charles Barkley winning MVP over him that year fueled a fire within Michael that burned just long enough to put the Suns away in 6 games. Chuck would go on to say in this interview that Jokic needs to make it to the NBA Finals this year because he himself felt a pressure to make it to the Finals the one time he won a league MVP.
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