Does the NBA MVP go to the Best Player?

So the reports are now circulating that Kobe Bryant will win the MVP for this year’s season. But does he deserve it or is it more of a pity vote? It is clear that his statistics, while impressive, are dwarfed by LeBron James’ statistics. I understand that this award is not BP or Best Player, but rather Most Valuable Player. I also understand the argument that have been made for Kobe. However, was this year’s award more a matter of giving Kobe his due. I recognize that part of my disdain for Kobe is the fact, as an avid Bulls fan, that he was not traded to the Bulls. However, it would be interesting to see what fact a true Kobe supporter can hang their hat on. It certainly is not his statistics. While Kobe’s 3-point shot was quite accurate, 36.1%, he only averaged 28.3 points per game, compared to LeBron’s 30. He also only averaged 5.4 assists per game, while LeBron averaged 7.2 per game. Lastly, he averaged 6.3 rebounds per game, compared to LeBron’s average of 7.9 per game. While Kobe’s statistics are quite impressive, I refer to his statistics as “only” because I believe that LeBron’s statistics are just that much more impressive.

If you look at the recent playoff series between the Washington Wizards and the Cleveland Cavaliers, which I believe will sadly end tonight, LeBron has been and will probably be the difference. If you compare the supporting cases that LeBron and Kobe have, it seems to me, that the Lakers would have had a better chance of making the playoffs without Kobe than the Cavaliers would have had without LeBron. But if that is the case, doesn’t that mean that LeBron should be the MVP? If it is the best player that led their team to the best record, then why is it that they are predicting Kevin Garnett to be third in voting? Through Garnett’s solid play, the Celtics were a force to be reckoned with during the regular season, amassing a 64-16 record. Who in the world ever expected this from the Celtics this year?

I am by no means suggesting that Kobe is not a great player. I think he is amazing. I just do not think he is the most valuable player. It is a sad day when a player is not given his due because his team or supporting cast is not the greatest. And then the fans wonder why a player wants to get traded to a team that has a supporting cast, rather than developing a cast. Is it a matter of saying if Kobe and LeBron switched teams for the year and the statistics were the same, then LeBron would have won or at the very least Kobe wouldn’t have? Or is it really a matter of saying Kobe is 29 years old and if he does not win it this year, then he may be the greatest player to never win the MVP? If that is the case, then we should all realize that this year’s MVP is more of a sympathy vote. As I said before, I think Kobe is a great player. Now whether he was this year’s MVP is a different story.