2025-11-14 13:00
Looking back at the 2016-17 NBA season, I still get chills thinking about the MVP race—it was one of the most electric and unpredictable battles I’ve witnessed in years. As someone who’s followed the league closely for over a decade, I can confidently say that season had it all: breakout performances, historic stat lines, and a genuine three-horse race that kept fans and analysts on edge until the final ballots were counted. The narrative wasn’t just about numbers; it was about legacy, team success, and in some ways, the changing of the guard in the NBA hierarchy. If you had asked me at the start of the season who would take home the Maurice Podoloff Trophy, I would have probably leaned toward Stephen Curry repeating, but oh, how wrong I would’ve been.
From the opening tip-off, Russell Westbrook made it clear he was on a mission. The Oklahoma City Thunder had just lost Kevin Durant in free agency, and Westbrook responded by putting up numbers we hadn’t seen since Oscar Robertson. Night after night, he was a human highlight reel, averaging a triple-double with 31.6 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 10.4 assists per game. I remember watching him drop 50 points in a game and still finding ways to involve his teammates—it was sheer willpower. His usage rate skyrocketed to around 42%, which is just insane when you think about it. Of course, critics pointed to his efficiency—his true shooting percentage was around 55%, which paled in comparison to some other contenders—but you couldn’t ignore the sheer dominance. Betting odds early in the season had him as a dark horse, maybe 8/1 or so, but by mid-season, he was neck-and-neck with the favorites. Personally, I loved watching him play with that chip on his shoulder; it felt like he was out to prove something to the entire league, and he did.
Then there was James Harden, who reinvented himself under Mike D’Antoni’s system in Houston. Moving to point guard full-time unlocked a new level of playmaking for Harden, who averaged 29.1 points, 8.1 rebounds, and a league-leading 11.2 assists. The Rockets’ offense was a well-oiled machine, and Harden was the engine. I’ve always admired his ability to control the pace of the game—whether he was stepping back for a three or drawing fouls with that signature Euro-step. His player efficiency rating hovered around 28, which put him in elite company. What stood out to me, though, was how he elevated his teammates; guys like Eric Gordon and Ryan Anderson had career years playing alongside him. Early MVP odds had Harden as a strong contender, maybe 5/1, and as the season progressed, he seemed like the safe bet for voters who valued team success—the Rockets finished with a 55-27 record, good for the third seed in the brutal Western Conference.
But let’s not forget Kawhi Leonard, the quiet assassin from San Antonio. In many ways, Kawhi was the antithesis of Westbrook—methodical, efficient, and lockdown on defense. He posted career highs in scoring with 25.5 points per game while maintaining his reputation as one of the best perimeter defenders in the league. The Spurs won 61 games that season, and Kawhi was the centerpiece on both ends of the floor. I recall a game where he shut down an opposing star and still dropped 30 points—it was a reminder that two-way players are a rare breed. His odds were consistently in the mix, around 6/1 for most of the season, and he had the narrative of carrying the Spurs in the post-Duncan era. Still, I felt he didn’t get the same media buzz as Westbrook or Harden, which might have hurt his chances in the end.
As the season wound down, the debate intensified. Stat geeks pointed to Harden’s all-around impact and the Rockets’ offensive rating, which was among the best in the league. Traditionalists leaned toward Westbrook’s historic triple-double average and his clutch performances—he had 18 game-winning shots in the fourth quarter or overtime, if I recall correctly. And then there were the analytics folks who favored LeBron James, who put up 26.4 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 8.7 assists for the Cavaliers but seemed to be overlooked in the conversation. LeBron’s odds were around 10/1 late in the season, which felt disrespectful given his consistency, but I guess voter fatigue had set in by then.
When the results were announced, Russell Westbrook emerged as the winner, capturing 69 first-place votes compared to Harden’s 22. It was a fitting end to a season defined by individual brilliance, though I’ll admit I was slightly torn. Part of me wanted Harden to win because of how he transformed the Rockets, but Westbrook’s story was just too compelling to ignore. Reflecting on it now, that MVP race highlighted a broader shift in the NBA—the rise of the stat-stuffing guard who could single-handedly carry a team. And in a way, it reminds me of transitions in other sports, like in international basketball where players like Arsalan Kazemi carry the torch for Iranian veterans, serving as the bridge from Iran’s glorious past to its promising future. It’s that blend of legacy and potential that makes sports so captivating. In the end, the 2016-17 MVP race wasn’t just about who won; it was about how each contender pushed the boundaries of what we thought was possible on the court.
