With less than a week remaining until the 2021-22 NBA regular season comes to a close, time is ticking for the league’s best players to assemble their MVP cases.
Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid and Giannis Antetokounmpo have all jostled for the top spot this season, but Luka Doncic and Jayson Tatum have also put themselves in the conversation.
Jokic won the MVP last season after a sensational year with the Denver Nuggets. But who will it be this season?
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Here is a look at the favorites to win the honor:
Who is the favorite to win the NBA MVP?
After ending as a finalist last season, Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid led the MVP odds for most of the 2021-22 campaign.
That’s all changed in recent weeks, as Embiid now sits behind Jokic in the odds, according to our partner, PointsBet.
NBA
Embiid sits second, while Antetokounmpo, who entered the season as the favorite, is currently third and gaining on the two big men ahead of him.
Here are the players with the highest odds to win the MVP:
Nikola Jokic -350
Joel Embiid +300
Giannis Antetokounmpo +575
Luka Doncic +15000
Devin Booker +15000
Jayson Tatum +15000
Stephen Curry +15000
DeMar DeRozan +15000
Ja Morant +20000
You can find all of the odds for MVP here.
Who are the most recent winners of the MVP?
As previously mentioned, Jokic won the award last season, while Antetokounmpo won it the two years prior.
Here’s a look at some of the most recent winners of the MVP:
2021: Nikola Jokic
2020: Giannis Antetokounmpo
2019: Giannis Antetokounmpo
2018: James Harden
2017: Russell Westbrook
2016: Steph Curry
2015: Steph Curry
2014: Kevin Durant
2013: LeBron James
2012: LeBron James
Who has won the MVP the most in NBA history?
Since the award was created in 1955, there have been a number of multi-time winners of the MVP.
Kareem-Abdul Jabbar has won it the most times: three with the Milwaukee Bucks and three with the Los Angeles Lakers, for a total of six.
Both Michael Jordan and Bill Russell have won the award five times. Wilt Chamberlain and LeBron James each have taken home the trophy four times in their careers.
Three players have been awarded the MVP three times -- Moses Malone, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson. There are a total of six players who have won the award twice, which includes Antetokounmpo, Curry, Tim Duncan, Steve Nash, Bob Pettit and Karl Malone.
Editor's note: All odds are provided by our partner, PointsBet. PointsBet is our Official Sports Betting Partner and we may receive compensation if you place a bet on PointsBet for the first time after clicking our links.