In my last article, I proposed a hypothetical situation in which the NBA limited the number of MVPs a player could win to 1, making it more of a legacy award than a season-based one. In this article, I took a deeper dive into some of the brand-new MVP winners to rank them using a combination of analytics, circumstance, and film review. To keep this article more succinct, I'll only be ranking the players from the more current years, as they are the ones who are at the top of my list. The players on this list include 20' Luka Doncic, 16' Kawhi Leanord, 14' Blake Griffin, 13' Carmelo Anthony, 12' Tony Parker, 09' Dwyane Wade, and 08' Chris Paul.
The Advanced Stats that will be looked at for the purpose of this are PER, BPM, VORP, and WS/48. Players will be organized into the list based on their relative rankings of the analytic measures. After this, players were shifted based on whether their film analysis and shot tracking data showed that they were more versatile players who could thrive in a multitude of teams, eras, or scenarios. Lastly, closely-ranked players were moved up or down based on the circumstance that they were in during that particular season, making sure context is included in the overall rankings.
7. Tony Parker-2012
PER: 22.00
BPM: 2.7
WS/48: 0.177
VORP: 2.3
Tony Parker is the obvious choice to put at the end of this list. While his command of the basketball and playmaking skills were surely elite for his era, he never rose to stardom quite to the level that the others on this list did. Though this may have been impacted by the quality of his teammates, including Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobli, and Kawhi Leonard, the circumstances of his play are not enough to make up the statistical deficit he has. His versatility also takes a hit due to his shot tracking data. While the film shows his ability to dominate in the midrange and near the basket with a variety of floaters and tough finishes, the data shows that his inability to take and make threes at a high volume would hurt him compared to other guards in the modern NBA.
6. Blake Griffin-2014
PER: 23.98
BPM: 4.5
WS/48: 0.205
VORP: 4.7
Blake Griffin edges out Parker on this list with a major increase in each of the 4 statistical categories. He posses a similar shot distribution to Tony Parker despite being a power forward. He also has an advantage defensively over parker, which adds to the satistical difference between the 2. The main highlight of the shot chart is the paint dominance of Griffin. The tracking data shows an overwhelming amount of shots scored in the paint, and the film shows why. While most people tended to label Blake as nothing more than a flashy dunker, his amazing ball control skills and footwork made him a nightmare for slower bigs to guard. However, his lack of a developed jump shot like he posses now and the quality of assistance he received from being the roll man to Chris Paul prevents him from moving up any higher on this list.
5. Carmelo Anthony-2013
PER: 24.83
BPM: 4.3
WS/48: 0.184
VORP: 4.5
Carmelo's offensive arsenal is the main reason that he can comfortably sit atop Parker and Griffin on this list. Melo possesses perhaps the most balanced shot distribution of any of these players, showing clear signs of scoring prowess from the 3-point line, mid-range, low-post, and inside the paint. His highlights put all of his skills on display, from his ability to play off the ball, catch and shoot, dominate the post, or even attack off the dribble. Anthony's ability to convert on difficult shot attempts cements him as the best scorer on this list. Despite this, his lack of consistent playmaking for others and subpar defensive capabilities leave a little too much room for others to overtake him.
4. Luka Doncic-2020
PER: 27.65
BPM: 8.4
WS/48: 0.207
VORP: 5.4
Luka and CP3 are the 2 youngest players on this list, which would have made them the youngest MVP winners ever if this rule had theoretically been approved. Among other things, the main similarities the 2 share is their passing. Luka's scoring capability is compounded by his ability to set up teammates with extravagant passes that very few other players can do. As the most recent player on this list, there is no question that Luka's playstyle is adaptable to the modern style of play in the NBA. His overall scoring and playmaking skills make him the most deadly offensive weapon on this list. However, putting into context his heliocentric style of basketball, offensively gifted teammates, and lack of winning success, it's clear to see that his statistical numbers and overall production are slightly inflated compared to some of the other high octane superstars on this list. Not to mention that everyone above him on this list is not only a great offensive player but a top-tier defender at their position as well.
3. Kawhi Leonard-2016
PER: 26.11
BPM: 9.1
WS/48: 0.277
VORP: 6.7
To honor the NBA's quietest superstar, I'll keep this short. Kawhi has slightly favorable analytics to Luka while having a stronger shot distribution, defensive ability, and worse circumstances to put up big numbers.
2. Dwyane Wade-2009
PER: 30.11
BPM: 10.6
WS/48: 0.232
VORP: 9.6
While many believe the 2006 finals to be Wade's best performance in a series, it is nearly unanimously agreed upon that 2009 was his best individual season. So much so that this has become one of the most controversial MVP races in NBA history. Wade's analytics take a significant increase over any other player ranked below him on this list. His film shows elite guard skills in nearly every area. Great ball-handling, size and speed, smart passing, and above all else being a top finisher in the league. The only thing he didn't excel at was his jump shot, which is shown by the shot chart with the plethora of long 2s he relied on to score away from the basket.
1. Chris Paul-2008
PER: 28.3
BPM: 10.4
WS/48: 0.284
VORP: 9.3
The Number 1 spot goes to the Point God himself. Despite the similarities in analytical output between him and Wade, the main differentiating factor came down to playstyle and versatility. Both 2-way players were placed in similar situations at this point in their careers, lead superstar guards expected to take lesser talent to a decent playoff run. Chris Paul's superior playmaking ability and far greater jump shot indicated that he would be more valuable on any random team or in the modern game than Wade would be. Despite Wade's dominant scoring output, CP3's ability to space the floor gives him a slight advantage on this list.
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