LeBron James is upset. He got just 16 votes (out of a possible 101) for NBA MVP. Milwaukee’s GiannisAntetokounmporan away with it. He got the other 85 votes.
LeBron feels the vote should have been close.
But he’s ignoring the concept of one man, one vote. There’s no electoral college. You can’t vote for Giannis to be MVP by 84 percent to 16, or by any percentage. It’s either/or. Pick one. The process isn’t designed to be close, or pay respect, or make sure LeBron doesn’t whine.
LeBron seems to have expected 49 percent of the voters to communicate via telepathy and say, “Giannis is MVP, but LeBron deserves respect, so let’s keep the vote close.” Barring the import of advanced alien technology, that seems impossible.
LeBron may be basketball’s top player ever. Top five, for certain. But he certainly does whine. Just like Michael Jordan and Larry Bird. Basketball is a sport of whiners.
LeBron has been NBA MVP four times. He’s not been cheated. He’s 35. It’s someone else’s time. That’s when you whine: When you feel it slipping away.
LeBron is still great. He’s just not most valuable.
LeBron could win his fourth NBA title this year. Maybe he gets NBA Finals MVP for a fourth time, too. Not winning regular-season MVP shouldn’t bother him this much.
If LeBron uses perceived slights like that as motivation, that’s even more pathetic. But Jordan did that, too.
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