Why veteran journalist Chris Mannix believes Giannis is this season's MVP

The race for this season’s Most Valuable Player award is the most heated it’s been in recent years, with the Milwaukee Bucks’ superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo battling it out against Denver’s Nikola Jokic and Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid. Everyone has their own opinion regarding who should take home the Michael Jordan trophy. Seasoned NBA writer Chris Mannix, though, believes Giannis should come away with the MVP trophy, and he shares why.

Winning matters

The Bucks finished the regular season with the best record in the entire NBA, thereby ensuring they have homecourt advantage all throughout the Playoffs and the Finals if they make it that far. For Mannix, this was enough for him to give Giannis his vote, especially with the Bucks playing extended stretches without Jrue Holiday and Khris Middleton, who was limited to just 33 games in the regular season.

“Winning is a variable for me. It’s why Embiid, on the 51-win, Ben Simmons–less Sixers edged Jokić, who won 48-games without Murray, for me last season. The Bucks won an NBA-best 58 games, and they did it with Khris Middleton playing in just 33. They pulled off a 16-game winning streak and closed the season on a 29–7 run,” Mannix wrote.

“There are no bad choices here. Giannis is mine.”

Incredible season

Playing in his 10th season, Giannis appears to be aging like fine wine. He averaged 31.1 points on 55% shooting, along with 11.8 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game—joining the elite 30-plus point, 10-plus rebound, five-plus assist, and 50%-plus from the floor club. The other two members of this group? Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Wilt Chamberlain.

Mannix, though, says Giannis sets himself apart from the competition with his defensive intensity and acumen.

“Defensively, he’s a monster. The Bucks ranked in the top four in defensive rating, opponent field goal percentage and opponent effective field goal percentage this season. In fairness, Brook Lopez, a Defensive Player of the Year front-runner, and Jrue Holiday, who should find his way onto an All-Defensive Team, have plenty to do with that. But Giannis’s physicality in the paint and versatility on the wings tie it all together.”