Miami Heat All-Star guard Dwyane Wade is happy not to have an official vote in the NBA’s most valuable player race, but if he somehow did, Wade would it give it to James Harden.
Wade acknowledges that Harden has plenty of competition for his first Maurice Podoloff Trophy.
Wade argues that Harden has had to carry the biggest load among the leading MVP candidates.
Per the Sun-Sentinel:
“Right now, I would say James Harden,” Wade said before Tuesday’s game against the Milwaukee Bucks. “It’s tough. Any one of those top guys could be MVP. I would say James Harden from everything he’s done for the full season, the entire season. With the injury to Dwight Howard and carrying that team in the tough Western Conference and being right up there. That’s pretty impressive and he’s done it all season long.”
The Rockets are the No. 3 seed despite center Dwight Howard being sidelined much of the season due to injury. Harden is the NBA’s second-leading scorer at 27.2 points a game while also averaging seven assists and 5.8 rebounds. The other players most commonly in the discussion are Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry and Oklahoma City’s Russell Westbrook.
In 2009, Wade finished third in the voting behind Kobe Bryant and LeBron James despite leading the league in scoring. The Heat were just 43-39 and lost to the Atlanta Hawks in the first round. […] “I think it goes on your full body of work, whatever it is,” Wade said. “I was in a position where I didn’t have the most wins but I felt I deserved MVP. LeBron had a great season. He had a better record. Obviously, he got it but I don’t know. That’s why I’m glad I don’t have to make that decision.”
