But LeBron is getting older, and soon will be entering the twilight of his career. The selection of 24-year-old Giannis Antetokounmpo for his first of what could be many MVP awards may mark not just his crowning as one of the best basketball players on earth. Luka Doncic generated headlines almost immediately with his flashy, yet mature play, while Trae Young started slow, but came on extremely strong during the second half of the season when he often looked like a future All-Star. Months of debate and anticipation came to an end on Monday night at the 2019 NBA Awards Show, which was hosted by Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal. section: | slug: 2018-19-nba-awards-mvp-giannis-antetokounmpo-rookie-of-the-year-luka-doncic-lead-international-parade | sport: basketball | route: article_single.us | NBA 2018-19 Regular Season and Playoffs Summary. Just like last year, fans will have to wait until after the NBA playoffs are over to find out who won the NBA MVP. Many of the top players in the league were in attendance as heralded annual awards like MVP and Rookie of the Year were handed out to their rightful owners. Getty James Harden is the favorite to win the 2018 NBA MVP. NBA James Harden Wins 2018 NBA MVP Award over LeBron James, Anthony Davis Timothy Rapp @ @TRappaRT. L.A. boasted one of the best benches in the entire NBA over the course of the season, and Lou Williams and Montrezl Harrell were the main reasons why. We’re nearing the halfway mark of the 2018/19 NBA regular season, and a clear favorite has emerged in this season’s MVP race. Frozen in place for four and a half months. 6-keys: media/spln/nba/reg/free/stories_howtowatch, at NBA Finals MVPs 22; NBA All-Star MVPs by Image (1982-2020) 10; NBA MVPs (Regular Season & Finals) 9; NBA MVP Voting (2010s) 8; Los Angeles Lakers MVP Votes 5; NBA Finals MVPs for Multiple Franchises 5; 2-Time NBA MVP Winners 1; Detroit Pistons MVP Votes 1 Williams is, of course, no stranger to the Sixth Man of the Year Award as he has won it twice before, including last year. LeBron James, Michael Jordan and Tyreke Evans. Not because of the Raptors winning it, that was an incredible run, and they deserve everything they got. But by then the narrative had already been written, and Luka Doncic was going to win the award. pic.twitter.com/hJUEO6V2T0. If you are having difficulty accessing any content on this website, please visit our Accessibility page. It’s not just Westbrook vs. Harden anymore. Scroll below to see the top 10 candidates for the 2018-19 NBA MVP Award, via Hoops Habit. All three project to be key pieces for their respective franchises moving forward, but only one will walk away with the trophy on Monday night. Other winners included Luka Doncic claiming Rookie of the Year, Rudy Gobert capturing his second straight Defensive Player of the Year Award, Lou Williams going back-to-back as well for Sixth Man of the Year, Pascal Siakam earning Most Improved Player and Mike Budenholzer grabbing Coach of the Year. The former had a historic offensive season while leading the league in scoring for the second time, while the latter was the best player on the league's best team record-wise. And never count out LeBron. NBA.com is part of Warner Media, LLC’s Turner Sports & Entertainment Digital Network. Heading into the 2018-19 NBA season, there are more superstars than ever. MVP Awards – 0. After leading the Bucks to the best record in the NBA -- the first time in franchise history since 1973-74 -- … Harrell brought energy and tenacity off the bench, while Williams provided the Clippers with a top-tier offensive option. 2018-19 NBA Awards Voting Summary. The List: 12 NBA MVP candidates for the 2017-2018 season. Overseas is where the NBA will see its biggest growth in coming decades, and this past season could be one more watershed moment for the league's internationalization. Official Release August 26, 2018. Instead, we have Mike Budenholzer, whose Bucks finished with the league's best overall record in his first season in Milwaukee, Doc Rivers, who led the Clippers to a playoff spot with a roster short on top-tier talent, and Michael Malone, who took the Nuggets from outside of the playoff picture to the second seed in the ultra-competitive Western Conference. Doncic’s rights were traded from the Hawks to the Mavs in exchange for Trae Young and a … The 6 … The 2019 NBA All-Star Game was played on February 17, 2019, at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. 02/28/2018 NBA MVP race: Can top candidates catch James Harden before season's end? I'm just not sure it has quite set in yet, at least not for me. @HasanMinhaj got me dying. Seattle’s Breanna Stewart Named 2018 Most Valuable Player. That’s what had to be done with the Kia MVP Ladder the moment NBA Commissioner Adam Silver announced the suspension of the season on March 11 due to the coronavirus pandemic. All Rights Reserved. We bring sports news that matters to your inbox, to help you stay informed and get a winning edge. With the NBA Playoffs approaching next week, the league has announced its finalists for the 2019-20 regular season awards. 1 overall pick Deandre Ayton had a bit more quiet -- but still solid -- season. © 2004-2021 CBS Interactive. It's remarkable to think that he hasn't even scraped his ceiling during this, his first MVP season. The others? 2018 NBA MVP Voting Results: James Harden Wins in a Landslide over LeBron James. Giannis winning the MVP could herald the coming of the next face of the league. Please, let him host the entire NBA Awards show in 2020. There are three candidates for the Most Improved Player award, but only one jumped from an enigmatic question mark coming off an injury to an All-Star, and that would be D'Angelo Russell. Nikola Jokic making strong early MVP case after breaking Nuggets' triple-double record. Every time I saw a highlight of Kevin Durant or Klay Thompson during the awards show, I cringed. For the NBA Most Valuable Player Award, the fan vote counted as one vote toward determining the winner. I still think Rudy Gobert should have been an All-Star this season. Harden, who finished second last season in MVP voting but led the Rockets to the best record in the NBA this year, took home his first MVP. If you bet that a Clipper would win this award, the odds would be in your favor. @crabdribbles. If Antetokounmpo wins, it will be his first-ever MVP award. 2017-18 James Harden, Houston Rockets . Gobert is one of the league's top rim protectors, while George is one of the top perimeter players on the defensive side of the ball. Every Sports Reference Social Media Account. Americans have won 92% of the NBA MVP awards despite the fact that nearly 28% of the league’s current players were born outside of the U.S. 10:31 am ET, second straight Defensive Player of the Year Award, Report: Durant to quarantine a week, miss four games, Report: NBA increases mask requirements for teams, Spurs' White sidelined indefinitely with toe injury, Rockets' Cousins receives two techs in three minutes, Satoransky has COVID-19; Bulls depleted for road trip, Gobert says 'no beef' with Shaq after ripping on deal. It behooves the NBA for the next face of the league to be a charismatic, fun-loving, down-to-earth non-American like Giannis. Similarly, Siakam benefited from increased opportunity as he started for the first time in his three-year career in Toronto. Check out stats on every National Basketball Association Finals MVP winner on ESPN.com. All this came on the heels of the Toronto Raptors becoming the first Canadian team to win an NBA title. And not just because the Greek Freak won MVP. A year-by-year list of the Kia NBA Most Valuable Player Award winners: YEAR PLAYER TEAM, 2019-20 Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks (Voting), 2018-19 Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks (Voting), 2017-18 James Harden, Houston Rockets (Voting), 2016-17 Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder (Voting), 2015-16 Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors (Voting), 2014-15 Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors, 2013-14 Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder, 2009-10 LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers, 2008-09 LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers, 2007-08 Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers, 2006-07 Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks, 2003-04 Kevin Garnett, Minnesota Timberwolves, 2002-03 Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs, 2001-02 Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs, 2000-01 Allen Iverson, Philadelphia 76ers, 1999-00 Shaquille O’Neal, Los Angeles Lakers, 1997-98 Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls, 1995-96 Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls, 1994-95 David Robinson, San Antonio Spurs, 1993-94 Hakeem Olajuwon, Houston Rockets, 1992-93 Charles Barkley, Phoenix Suns, 1991-92 Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls, 1990-91 Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls, 1989-90 Magic Johnson, Los Angeles Lakers, 1988-89 Magic Johnson, Los Angeles Lakers, 1987-88 Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls, 1986-87 Magic Johnson, Los Angeles Lakers, 1982-83 Moses Malone, Philadelphia 76ers, 1981-82 Moses Malone, Houston Rockets, 1980-81 Julius Erving, Philadelphia 76ers, 1979-80 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Los Angeles Lakers, 1978-79 Moses Malone, Houston Rockets, 1977-78 Bill Walton, Portland Trail Blazers, 1976-77 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Los Angeles Lakers, 1975-76 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Los Angeles Lakers, 1973-74 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Milwaukee Bucks, 1971-72 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Milwaukee Bucks, 1970-71 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Milwaukee Bucks, 1968-69 Wes Unseld, Baltimore Bullets, 1967-68 Wilt Chamberlain, Philadelphia 76ers, 1966-67 Wilt Chamberlain, Philadelphia 76ers, 1965-66 Wilt Chamberlain, Philadelphia 76ers, 1963-64 Oscar Robertson, Cincinnati Royals, 1959-60 Wilt Chamberlain, Philadelphia Warriors. The NBA is in as good a place as it’s ever been. NBA MVP Trends Based Upon Country of Origin. Doncic was selected with the third overall pick by the Atlanta Hawks in the 2018 NBA draft. Covering the impact of coronavirus on the sports world. The playoffs began on April 13, 2019 and ended on June 13 with the Toronto Raptors defeating the defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors in the 2019 NBA Finals, becoming NBA champions for the first time in franchise history. The NBA announced the Rockets’ James Harden, the Cavaliers’ LeBron James and the Pelicans’ Anthony Davis as the three … Life's not fair sometimes. The regular season began on October 16, 2018 and ended on April 10, 2019. Through four games, the Denver Nuggets are 1-3 but their All-Star center Nikola Jokic is off to a MVP-level start averaging 24.5 points, 13.5 assists, and 11.8 rebounds on 62.5% shooting from the field. May 16, 2018 9:50 pm. The 2018–19 NBA season was the 73rd season of the National Basketball Association (NBA). SLIDE 1 of 10 10. LOS ANGELES — LeBron James was named MVP after his team won the 2018 NBA All-Star Game in Los Angeles on Sunday night. Giannis Antetokounmpo has led the Bucks to a 24-10 record (second-best in the NBA) with a +8.4 net rating (first). February 19, 2018 12:38 am. The balloting was tabulated by the independent accounting firm of Ernst & Young LLP. ️----- Follow our Instagram: https://goo.gl/Syw81B Follow our Twitter: https://goo.gl/5aata7 Written By Scott Rafferty. The MVP race is officially down to … ️ Subscribe, Like & Comment for More! It was that night when we learned that Utah Jazz All-Star center Rudy Gobert had tested positive for Covid-19.Others followed, including his All-Star teammate … Bill Baptist/Getty Images. Watch NBA Games - Follow the game, scores and stats for NBA matchups. Below is a list of every NBA award plus the finalists for each category: Paul George had an excellent season in Oklahoma City, but the league's highest individual honor is expected to go to either Harden or Antetokounmpo. 2016-17 Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder Share In Phoenix, No. It's been a while since the regular season ended, so a brief refresher regarding all of the major awards and finalists seems appropriate. Ironically enough, Nick Nurse, the coach that led the Toronto Raptors to their first title in franchise history, isn't an option when it comes to the league's Coach of the Year award. With that in mind, here's everything you need to know about the awards show. Durant said before last season that Giannis, if he really wanted it, could become the best basketball player to ever play the game. But I suppose winning two straight Defensive Player of the Year awards justifies his accomplishments. Information about the 2018 All-Star Game, with result, scoring by period, MVP, box score, and all the NBA players selected to play it. Who are the top candidates for the most coveted MVP award? De'Aaron Fox had a solid season in Sacramento, but as only a sophomore in the league, improvement is expected. Before we could completely close the book on the 2018-19 NBA season, there was one final order of business to attend to: handing out the hardware. The NBA MVP award was given to non-U.S.-born players three straight times from 2005-07 The 2018 NBA Draft boasted a very promising crop of rookies, and the class didn't disappoint. Here are six takeaways from Monday night's NBA Awards: The international vision for the NBA of Adam Silver -- and of David Stern before him -- has been fully realized. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Commissioner.com is a registered trademark of CBS Interactive Inc. site: media | arena: nba | pageType: stories | Antetokounmpo, though, is an anomaly, as he is capable of defending both post and perimeter players aptly. Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo took home MVP by besting the Houston Rockets star and defending champion James Harden, as well as Oklahoma City Thunder swingman Paul George. 2018-19 NBA Awards: MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, Rookie of the Year Luka Doncic lead international parade Six takeaways from the NBA awards show on Monday night Below are the voting totals and individual ballots for all media-voted annual awards from the 2018-19 NBA regular season. Curry’s four-year run beginning in 2014 has been one of the best stretches for any NBA superstar, and while he has two regular-season MVP awards to … Information about the 2018-2019 NBA season, including champion, MVP awards, statistical leaders and other basic data. NEW YORK, Sept. 12, 2018 – WNBA Most Valuable Player Breanna Stewart of the Seattle Storm was unanimously selected to the 2018 All-WNBA First Team, the WNBA announced today. Anthony Davis – PF/C – New Orleans Pelicans. The Milwaukee Bucks ' Giannis Antetokounmpo has won the 2018-19 NBA MVP award. Antetokounmpo, George and Gobert are all excellent defenders, and deserving candidates. With apologies to Steph Curry and Kevin Durant, it's LeBron James who has been the face of the NBA for more than a decade now. The National Basketball Association Most Valuable Player Award (MVP) is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) award given since the 1955–56 season to the best performing player of the regular season.The winner receives the Maurice Podoloff Trophy, which is named in honor of the first commissioner (then president) of the NBA, who served from 1946 until 1963. For Harden, it would be his second straight. I'm not sure if I've yet to fully digest just how devastating the NBA Finals were this season. I don't know if it takes more guts to stand up in front of a room full of NBA players and make fun of them, or if it takes more guts to tear into politicians at the White House Correspondents' Dinner, but the dude killed it in both venues. 2018 NBA All-Star Game: Box Score, MVP and Information. After the All-Star Break, Young averaged 24.7 points and 9.2 assists per game. 2018-19 Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks . NEW YORK, Aug. 26, 2018 – Seattle Storm forward Breanna Stewart has been named the 2018 … Kevin Durant, Golden State Warriors (Photo: Mark D. Smith, USA TODAY Sports) His versatility makes him extremely valuable on the defensive end, and should give him a leg up on the other two nominees. This se… From fresh faces to past winners, these 20 players could be in the mix. It is rare that you find an NBA … After a solid season that saw his scoring, rebounding, and assist numbers all climb, Domantas Sabonis of the Indiana Pacers rounds out the candidates for the award. Check out stats on every National Basketball Association MVP winner on ESPN.com. In his breakthrough rookie season, he averaged 21.2 points, 6.0 assists and 7.8 rebounds, becoming the fourth player in the past four decades to complete a 20-5-5 rookie season. Luka Doncic of Slovenia won Rookie of the Year, Rudy Gobert of France won Defensive Player of the Year, and Pascal Siakam of Cameroon won Most Improved Player. Featured Columnist June 26, 2018 Comments.