After witnessing an unprecedented Finals series between the Golden State Warriors and the Boston Celtics, the inevitable happened: the 2021-2022 NBA season is now over. Unfortunately, four long months without basketball are now ahead of us. However, this gives us plenty of time to analyze the league’s future and predict what might happen throughout this next season. Therefore, here are our very early MVP award predictions for the upcoming year.
1. Giannis Antetokounmpo
Despite the Bucks star player not even being halfway through his career, he already has a resumé worthy of the Hall of Fame. Not only is he one of the few players left with a clear physical dominance in the paint, but he is also constantly improving on every other aspect of his game. This determination has quickly allowed his name to be amongst all of the best player lists over the past years. This season will not be the exception, as the experience under his belt will now be more valuable than ever for the Milwaukee team to achieve their goals and fulfill expectations. We were all able to witness this dominance last season, in which the Bucks had a winning record of .672% when Giannis played; and a .400% record when he was not on the court.
Stat predictions for next season: 30.1 Points, 11.2 Rebounds, 5.1 Assists per game.
2. Joel Embiid
The 27-year-old 76ers star has been a clear candidate for the MVP for the last three seasons now. Even though he has not yet won the award, the consistent performances he has delivered (especially this last season) are memorable. With the departure of Ben Simmons, Embiid proved he could lead the Philadephia team, being indispensable on both sides of the court. Similarly, his team held a winning record of .662% when he played, which made a stark contrast to the .429% record when he was not on the court. Providing he continues playing at a high level, Joel can be the Most Valuable Player this 22-23 season and finally take the 76ers to greatness.
Stat predictions for next season: 31.3 Points, 9.8 Rebounds, 4.2 Assists per game.
3. Stephen Curry
Since this last season was arguably the best of his 13-year career, Steph Curry will not stop being crucial for the Warriors anytime soon. As the San Francisco team now has more options to rely on offensively, Curry’s playstyle is constantly shifting, following his team’s needs. Nevertheless, despite these changes, he is still the Warriors’ top scorer, and he will probably continue holding that title this next season. In terms of the winning record, the Warriors had a staggering .707% whenever he was part of the starting five, compared to the .444% record with him not playing.
Stat predictions for next season: 27.9 Points, 6.3 Rebounds, 7.1 Assists per game.
Obviously, it is way too early to predict what this next season might entail. Nevertheless, this list of players is full of potential (and talent) to strive for the dominance of the league. We are really looking forward to seeing what the future of the NBA has in store. But more importantly, we expect to see an unexpected player surprising us.
Text sources: www.nba.com, www.basketball-reference.com, www.statmuse.com
