NBA In-Season Tournament 2023: Five MVPs Not Named LeBron James

LeBron James rightfully won the MVP award for the inaugural NBA in-season tournament but five others were exceptionally dominant.

The inaugural NBA in-season tournament wrapped on Saturday with the Lakers defeating the Pacers 123-109. LeBron James also took home some additional hardware, ultimately being named the tournament MVP.

While James was deserving of the award, leading Los Angeles to a perfect 7-0 record and averaging 26.4 points, 8.0 rebounds and 7.6 assists, there were a number of noteworthy players deserving of some love as well. Because the success of those respective teams largely hinged on each player.

We’ll look at five players and a few honorable mentions who elevated their game to an MVP-caliber level during tournament play.

To note: These names aren’t players who would or should have earned the award, but their play was integral to the success of each respective team.

Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana Pacers

Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton during the 2023 NBA in-season tournament / Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

• Team record/result in games played: 6-1 (lost in championship to Lakers)
• Averages: 26.7 points, 13.3 assists, 4.9 rebounds, 52.4% shooting

Who else? Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton was arguably the only player who had a legitimate case to be named in-season tournament MVP as a member of a team that didn’t win the title.

Haliburton was exceptional and dominant throughout tournament play. He even battled through an illness in a quarterfinal matchup against the Celtics en route to posting his first-career triple-double.

The future looks bright in Indiana, and if the Pacers strike a deal to add one more player to the mix, they’re going to be a very dangerous team as the season rolls on.

• Tyrese Haliburton Can Name Every Team That Passed on Him in the Draft

Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks

Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo during the 2023 NBA in-season tournament / Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

• Team record/result in games played: 5-1 (lost in East semifinal to Pacers)
• Averages: 29.0 points, 8.8 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 64.6% shooting

There’ll be plenty of pushback on this pick, especially considering Damian Lillard averaged 28.7 points and 7.0 assists during tournament play. But it’s impossible to ignore when a player averages 29.0 points per game while shooting an absurd 64.6% from the field.

The Bucks went 5-1 in tournament play, falling to the Pacers and Haliburton in the semifinals. Giannis Antetokounmpo not only showed the upside and consistency we’ve seen throughout his career, but he did it alongside Lillard, with both players looking dominant, and that’s a great sign for Milwaukee.

De’Aaron Fox, Sacramento Kings

Kings guard De’Aaron Fox during the 2023 NBA in-season tournament / Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports

• Team record/result in games played: 3-1 (lost in West quarterfinals to Pelicans)
• Averages: 34.5 points, 7.5 assists, 7.3 rebounds, 46.5% shooting

You missed out if De’Aaron Fox didn’t have all your attention when he stepped on the floor during this tournament. Fox was a force for the Kings, averaging 34.5 points per game (four points higher than his full-season average) while increasing his assist and rebounding marks during tournament games as well.

Fox continues to grow as a star in this league, and as scary as it seems, we may not have seen his ceiling yet.

Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers

Lakers forward Anthony Davis during the 2023 NBA in-season tournament / Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

• Team record/result in games played: 7-0 (won title)
• Averages: 23.3 points, 14.6 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 2.9 blocks, 52.5% shooting

After Anthony Davis’s championship performance, you’d be hard-pressed not to give him a tip of the cap here, but he was reliable all tournament long. Davis scored 41 points with an absurd 20 rebounds and five assists while blocking four shots in the Lakers’ 123-109 championship victory.

At times, Davis was the best player by far on the eventual tournament-champion Lakers, and that carries a lot of weight.

Kevin Durant, Phoenix Suns

Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant :: Rob Gray/USA TODAY Sports

• Team record/result in games played: 2-2 (lost in West quarterfinals to Lakers)
• Averages: 34.5 points, 7.3 rebounds, 6.8 assists, 60.9% shooting

While Kevin Durant played in four tournament games for the Suns, and the team posted a 2-2 mark, it’s tough not to play the “what if” game after a questionable ending in their loss to the Lakers. Phoenix lost 106-103 in the quarterfinals after a few iffy calls made headlines with under one minute remaining.

Although I won’t say the Suns would have gone on to win the title, Durant’s play speaks for itself, specifically when he was on the floor during tournament games. And if he weren’t out there at all, it’s nearly impossible to envision Phoenix even making it out of the group stage.

Honorable mention: Julius Randle, Jalen Brunson, Brandon Ingram, Paolo Banchero, Nikola Jokic, Damian Lillard