#4 LeBron James – Los Angeles Lakers
You cannot talk about MVP favorites without mentioning The King! LeBron James has finished inside the Top-3 in MVP voting in 11 of the 18 years he has been in the NBA, including winning the award four different times. Only three players in NBA history have won 5+ MVP awards, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Jordan and Bill Russell, so could LeBron become the 4th player ever during the 2021-22 season?
The 2021-22 Lakers squad may very well be one of the best teams LeBron James has ever been a part of in his long professional career, especially if he, Westbrook and David can put aside their egos. All three guys are top-tier, “do-it-all” type of talents in this league, so it will be very interesting to see how things work out for the Lakers.
They are definitely the favorites in the Western Conference this year and if he can remain healthy, LeBron James should once again assert himself as the “man to beat” in the NBA. A high ankle sprain kept James sidelined for numerous games during last season and this injury seemed to linger over into the postseason for him, ultimately aiding in the demise of the Lakers in the first-round.
Entering the 2021-22 season, Russell Westbrook, Anthony Davis and LeBron James are all healthy and ready to go, which is why James is definitely a prime MVP candidate with very favorable odds.
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Los Angeles’ offense is facilitated by LeBron and at the end of the day, he is the guy with the ball in his hands, which is why he has a good chance to win his 5th MVP award should the Lakers live up to the expectations placed on them.
