Media Straw Poll Has Giannis Antetokounmpo As Overwhelming Pick For MVP

Giannis Antetokounmpo remains the clear favorite to win MVP in a straw poll of 70 media members conducted by ESPN.

Antetokounmpo earned 60 of the 70 possible first place votes.

LeBron James ranked second in the poll, finishing either first or second on 68 of the 70 polls while finishing third on one and fourth on another.

Before the NBA season was suspended, ESPN began pushing a narrative that James had closed the gap on the MVP race on Antetokounmpo despite the overwhelming case for the reigning MVP. Several media members on ESPN supported James' case by citing specious factors such as the passing of Kobe Bryant, his response to the China controversy and also his age.