Giannis Antetokounmpo won MVP.
As for the rest of the voting?
Here are the results with first-, second-, third-, fourth- and fifth-place votes and total voting points (10-7-5-3-1 points from first to fifth):
1. Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks): 85-16-0-0-0-962
2. LeBron James (Lakers): 16-84-1-0-0-753
3. James Harden (Rockets): 0-1-64-10-10-367
4. Luka Doncic (Mavericks): 0-0-14-36-22-200
5. Kawhi Leonard (Clippers): 0-0-9-31-30-168
6. Anthony Davis (Lakers): 0-0-5-14-15-82
7. Chris Paul (Thunder): 0-0-3-1-8-26
8. Damian Lillard (Trail Blazers): 0-0-1-4-6-23
9. Nikola Jokic (Nuggets): 0-0-2-2-2-18
10. Pascal Siakam (Raptors): 0-0-2-1-4-17
11. Jimmy Butler (Heat): 0-0-0-2-3-9
12. Jayson Tatum (Celtics): 0-0-0-0-1-1
No, LeBron didn’t win. Nor should he have.
But the only other player in the top eight of voting still alive in the playoffs? His Lakers teammate, Anthony Davis. LeBron has a prime opportunity to bolster his legacy with another championship.
In the meantime, LeBron also boosts his resumé even with his runner-up finish.
LeBron received 753 voting points. A unanimous MVP would’ve received 1,010 voting points. So, with 75% of that total, LeBron gets .75 MVP voting shares.
That puts him ahead of Michael Jordan on the career MVP-voting-shares leaderboard:
Getting a vote every year of his career, LeBron also tied Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for most seasons receiving an MVP vote:
A big caveat: MVP ballots had just one or three slots prior to 1981, when they went to the current five-player format. So, LeBron has had more opportunities to get lower-ballot votes.
Another caveat: LeBron’s lone fifth-place vote last season came from NBA.com fan voting.
But he didn’t just sneak onto the back end of ballots this year – even at age 35. Only Karl Malone, who won 1999 MVP at 35, has finished top two while so old.
And LeBron has been receiving MVP votes since he was a teenager.
He didn’t get the trophy that will endure. But this silver-medal finish still reflects just how incredible his career has been – and continues to be.
