LeBron James has been a dominant force in the NBA for 23 seasons, racking up accolades like four championships and four MVP awards. Though his MVP wins spanned from 2009 to 2013, his Los Angeles Lakers teammate, Luka Doncic, has often been in the mix for the award, including this season.
As we approached the All-Star break, NBA.com's Shaun Powell highlighted Oklahoma City Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as the frontrunner for MVP, with Denver Nuggets' Nikola Jokic close behind. Luka Doncic was third in the race.
However, LeBron has his eye on another potential MVP contender. He recently praised Boston Celtics' Jaylen Brown, suggesting Brown deserves more recognition for his performance this season.
LeBron expressed his surprise that Brown's name isn't more frequently mentioned in MVP discussions. “This whole MVP thing, I don’t understand why his name is not getting talked about some as well,” James said, noting Brown's impressive near-30 points per game average. He added, “It’s a popularity contest sometimes, I tell you.”
Brown was ranked sixth in the NBA.com report, trailing behind stars like San Antonio Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama and Detroit Pistons’ Cade Cunningham.
Brown has been instrumental for the Celtics, especially with Jayson Tatum sidelined due to an injury sustained in last season's playoffs. The team also lost key players like Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford, and Jrue Holiday.
LeBron witnessed Brown's prowess firsthand when Brown scored 32 points, grabbed eight rebounds, and delivered seven assists in Boston’s victory over the Lakers in Los Angeles.
LeBron noted, "The whole championship team pretty much is kind of revamped, and he used it as motivation to keep them afloat. They’re playing great basketball, and it’s because of him and the rest of those guys. He’s taken that next step."
Brown leads the Celtics with 29.2 points per game and contributes significantly with seven rebounds, nearly five assists, and a steal per game. The Celtics have posted a 37-19 record, topping the Atlantic Division, defying expectations after Tatum's injury and significant roster changes.