LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 19: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers dribbles during the first half of an NBA Tournament Play-In game against the Golden State Warriors at Staples Center on May 19, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
LeBron James took to Twitter to give a sarcastic response in reaction to an ESPN offseason survey of 10 NBA scouts and executives asking who is the best player in the NBA. The results ultimately left James without a single vote.
“THANK YOU! As if I didn’t need more to fuel ME!” he said.
In the survey, Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo and Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant evenly split the voting for the title of the best player in the league. Antetokounmpo led the Bucks to a championship as did Durant with his clutch performance in Brooklyn’s second-round loss to the Bucks.
James was another candidate in the survey, but his age and injuries were significant reasons why he wasn’t voted. The 36-year-old dealt with major injuries that caused him to miss large chunks of two of the past three seasons.
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This wasn’t the first time that James was overlooked as the best player in the league. After the Los Angeles Lakers missed the playoffs in James’ first season in 2019, this same survey canvassed 20 people, and again James didn’t receive a single vote. Kawhi Leonard received 12 votes, Antetokounmpo received six, and James Harden got the other two.
James responded to this survey by winning an NBA title and being named Finals MVP. We’ll see what he has in store this upcoming year.
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