DraftKings updated the odds in its NBA Awards categories and Luka Doncic from the Dallas Mavericks is the betting favorite to win the 2023 MVP at +450, followed by Joel Embiid from the Philadelphia 76ers at +650, and Giannis “Greek Freak” Antetokounmpo at +700 odds.
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Joel Embiid from the Philadelphia 76ers defends Luka Doncic from the Dallas Mavericks, and the two are the top two favorites to win the 2023 NBA MVP. (Image: Porter Lambert/Getty)Nikola Jokic from the Denver Nuggets won the MVP in back-to-back seasons and he’s +1200 odds to secure an MVP three-peat.
- Luka Doncic +450
- Joel Embiid +650
- Giannis Antetokounmpo +700
- Nikola Jokic +1200
- Ja Morant +1200
- Jayson Tatum +1200
- Kevin Durant +1200
- Steph Curry +1700
- LeBron James +1800
- Devin Booker +2500
- Trae Young +3000
- Kawhi Leonard +3500
- Karl-Anthony Towns +4500
- Damian Lillard +5000
- Zion Williamson +5000
- Jimmy Butler +5000
- Anthony Davis +6000
- Anthony Edwards +6000
- LaMelo Ball +7000
- Donovan Mitchell +8000
- DeMar De Rozan +8000
Jokic’s 2022 win was somewhat controversial because he narrowly edged out Embiid in one of the closest MVP races in over two decades. Embiid and a slew of Philly fans thought Embiid was robbed, but Jokic carried the Nuggets, who were missing two max-contract players due to injuries.
MVP coin flip: Embiid or Doncic?
Doncic averaged 28.4 points, 9.1 assists, and 8.7 rebounds per game for the Mavs last season. His PER rating of 25.13 was ranked #5 in the league. He’s definitely one of the premier players in the NBA and led the Mavs to the Western Conference finals before they were bounced in six games by the Golden State Warriors.
The Mavs lost Doncic’s backcourt mate Jalen Brunson to the New York Knicks in free agency. Brunson left the Mavs because he believes Doncic is a ball hog and he had little impact in the Mavs’ heliocentric offense. Part of being an MVP is elevating your teammates, so perhaps this will be the season that Doncic figures out he can’t do everything all by himself. Doncic is the consensus favorite to win the MVP at +450 odds, but we’ll see how the Mavs shake out this season.
Embiid wondered what he’d have to do to win the MVP. He led the NBA in scoring last season with 30.6 ppg. He was the fifth-best rebounder, averaging 11.7 boards per game, and also posted the third-best PER rating at 31.24. The 76ers are going all-in to win the title this season. Even James Harden took a pay cut so the 76ers could add key free agents to plug holes in their roster. A dominating season from the 76ers would thrust Embiid to the front of the pack. Right now, Embiid is second best on the betting board at +650 odds to win the 2023 NBA MVP.
Another MVP: Greek Freak, Jokic, LeBron, Curry, KD
Jokic is looking to become the first player to win the MVP in three consecutive seasons since Larry Bird did it in 1986. He’s also seeking to join an exclusive MVP three-peat club with Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, and Bird. Jokic is fourth on the MVP board at +1200 odds.
Antetokounmpo won the MVP in back-to-back seasons in 2019 and 2020, and he’s +700 odds to win his third and become the ninth member of the three-timers club.
Kevin Durant has only one MVP on his mantle, but he’s +1200 odds to win a second one. The big question remains: where will Durant play next season? Could he win the MVP with the Phoenix Suns, Toronto Raptors, or Miami Heat?
Steph Curry won the MVP in back-to-back seasons in 2015 and 2016, and you can back him at +1700 odds to win a third MVP. If you ask Curry, he’d rather win another championship than secure a third MVP.
LeBron James is +1800 odds to win the 2023 MVP and he narrowly missed winning the NBA scoring title last season. LeBron won the MVP four times and is looking for a fifth award, which would put him in a tie with Russell and Michael Jordan. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar holds the record with six MVP trophies.
MVP value picks: Morant, Leonard, Tatum, Booker
We would have voted for Ja Morant to win the MVP last season, and he’s +1200 odds to win this upcoming season. Memphis isn’t a huge media market, but Morant put the Grizzlies on the map in the 2022 postseason. Morant and the Grizzlies should get more exposure next season with more nationally televised games.
Jayson Tatum led the Boston Celtics to the NBA Finals, but had an inconsistent series against the Golden State Warriors, so he’s looking to make up for it with a huge season. You can back Tatum at +1200 odds to win the MVP and become the first member of the Celtics to win the award since Bird in 1986.
We love Devin Booker as a value pick at +2500 odds to win the 2023 NBA MVP, especially if the Suns don’t add Durant in a trade with the Brooklyn Nets.
Kawhi Leonard missed all of last season with the LA Clippers due to an ACL injury. He’s hungry and looking to win a third NBA championship with a third team. You can take a flier on Kawhi to win the 2023 MVP at +3500 odds.
Nicknames MVP: KAT, Dame, Spida, DDR,
Things are looking good for the Minnesota Timberwolves after they added defensive star Rudy Gobert to the team, which will free up Karl-Anthony Towns to focus on offense. You can back KAT at +6500 odds to win the MVP.
Damian Lillard missed a lot of time last season due to stomach surgery. Dame is ready to bounce back with a huge season for the Portland Trail Blazers, and he’s +5000 odds to win the MVP.
The New York Knicks are close to adding Donovan Mitchell in a trade, so if that happens, Spida at MSG will be the hottest ticket in Gotham. Right now, Spida is just +8000 odds to win the MVP, but he’ll rocket to the top of the betting board if the Knicks are halfway decent.
DeMar DeRozan had a standout season with the Chicago Bulls last season. Expect DDR to have another big season in the Windy City. He’s +8000 odds to win the MVP.
Check out more odds for the major NBA awards like Coach of the Year, Most Improved Player, and Defensive Player of the Year.