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Lakers Legend Shaquille O’Neal Disregards Giannis as MVP over LeBron

Published 09/19/2020, 7:23 AM EDT

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USA Today via Reuters

Giannis Antetokounmpo is the 2020 NBA MVP! The ‘Greek Freak’ has clinched his second straight most valuable player award, but not everyone is happy with the results. LeBron James finished second, and it wasn’t even close. Shaquille O’Neal and Draymond Green recently indulged in a conversation about who deserved to win the award this season.

Giannis, LeBron, and James Harden emerged as MVP finalists. However, even before the finalists were announced, everyone seemed to know that Giannis was on his way to winning the award. The results reflected the same, but a few people are upset that LBJ wasn’t presented with his fifth MVP honor.

The Inside guys on TNT had a discussion about the results, and Shaq was visibly unhappy with LeBron’s snub. “First of all, MVP, singular and it means individual. You all keep talking about teamwork and all that. Draymond said it early, and the world knows this,” O’Neal stated. 

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USA Today via Reuters

LeBron is the best player in the world. So if you’re the best player in the world, can you not be the MVP?” he questioned. As soon as his colleagues tried to get into the chat, the big Diesel mentioned how he was snubbed for a couple years during his playing days. 

“You all keep telling about team or records because I ain’t got nothing to do with it. I lost twice because some guy had a better record, but they lost in the first round,” Shaq mentioned. “If you’re the best player in the world, you should always get an MVP. Period.” 

Shaquille O’Neal and Draymond Green assert that LBJ is the best in the world

Draymond Green has been making headlines in his recent appearances on TNT. The Warriors’ star is outspoken and delivers his outright opinion on national television. During the MVP debate on ‘Inside the NBA’, Green put forth his views on why LeBron James deserved to win this year.  

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The 3x NBA champion however mentioned that Giannis had the better season, even though LeBron’s the best player in the world. “If you’re starting a franchise or if you’re picking a player to say, ‘Go get me a championship,’ you’re picking LeBron James,” Green asserted. 

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Moreover, one could really argue if Giannis had a better season than James, or vice versa. It all boils down to an individual’s opinion and hence, there can be no harmony on that matter.

Who do you think deserved it this year? Giannis or LeBron?

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Written by:

Arjun Athreya

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Arjun Athreya is a senior writer at Essentially Sports and has been contributing since early 2020. Having developed an avid interest in sports at an early age, he pursued a Journalism degree and graduated from Madras Christian College. Arjun manages the Golf division and its content, and primarily covers news pertaining to the NBA as well.
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