Where Does Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo Land in Early MVP Poll?

Courtney Tate | 4 Hours Ago

Michael McLoone-Imagn Images

ESPN revealed their latest MVP straw poll rankings, and as expected there’s been a few changes since the last time this list rolled out. Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo made an incredible leap up to third place, closely trailing behind Oklahoma City Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and creating lots of separation between third place and Boston Celtics’ Jayson Tatum who dropped down to fourth.

The Bucks got off to a slow start to the season, managing problems with chemistry on the floor as well as closing out games. In recent matchups, especially during Milwaukee’s championship run in the 2024 NBA Cup, the Bucks have really found their way staging a huge turnaround before the start of the second half of the season.

Antetokounmpo, with the help of seven-time NBA All-Star Damian Lillard, has helped lead this team to fifth place in the Eastern Conference as well as peaking just in time to take home an NBA Cup championship.

Antetokounmpo has been delivering exceptional performances recently, leading the league in scoring at 32.1 points per game. He averages a double-double recording 11.5 rebounds and 6.1 assists. During the NBA Cup championship game, the two-time MVP carried his team to a victory with a dominant performance finishing with 26 points, 19 rebounds, 10 assists, 2 steals and 3 blocks.

Just as quickly as an NBA team can make a turnaround, the media can shift their opinion on who the best player in the league is. Antetokounmpo has seen a dramatic rise in first-place votes since ESPN's previous straw poll, vaulting into a commanding lead over Tatum, who has dropped to fourth place. A total of 29 voters changed their minds in the blink of an eye.

The NBA Cup MVP is now trailing closely behind Gilgeous-Alexander, who earned 24 first-place votes, while Antetokounmpo received an impressive 19. Both players have distanced themselves from the rest of the league, with Tatum failing to secure any first-place votes and remaining in fourth.

However, the most notable distinction among MVP candidates is that of the top-ranked, three-time MVP himself. Jokić is nearly averaging a triple-double, with 30.9 points, 13.3 rebounds, and 9.9 assists per game. The star center is also shooting a career-best 48.9% from three-point range and over 50% from the field. He continues to evolve his game, which is a frightening prospect for the rest of the league.

It's easy to argue that Jokić is the clear favorite for MVP this season. He received a staggering 57 first-place votes, more than double the number received by Gilgeous-Alexander.

For any other player hoping to enter the MVP conversation, there’s a significant challenge ahead in trying to surpass the top three candidates.

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