LeBron James is putting together the best Year 17 season that the NBA has ever seen, playing at an MVP-caliber level and leading the Los Angeles Lakers to a 21-3 record, tied with the Milwaukee Bucks for the best record in the NBA.
But James is far from a frontrunner for the NBA’s Most Valuable Player award, even though he’s leading his team to an unexpectedly great season. It looked like James had a great shot at winning MVP, but he’s been leapfrogged at most sportsbooks as a Top-three candidate by Dallas Mavericks phenom Luka Doncic.
According to BetMGM in New Jersey, LeBron is +650 to win the MVP award, which is good for the fourth-best odds behind James Harden (+450), Doncic (+375) and defending MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo (+160). SportsBetting.ag has LeBron a little more likely at +600, while BetOnline also has LeBron at the same odds.
James is having the best season we’ve ever seen from a player this far into his career, but the NBA is filled with several great players this season and one of them also happens to be on his own team.
Anthony Davis is fifth in the MVP odds behind James as he has been just as instrumental in L.A.’s fantastic start to the season. But it appears them being together may harm them when it comes to award season, at least according to the oddsmakers.