Steve Kerr: “He’s brilliant”—But the MVP race is a sham

Steve Kerr calls him "brilliant," but this article argues the NBA's MVP race is a sham, especially when it comes to Victor Wembanyama.

The MVP race is a SHAM, and Victor Wembanyama’s “case” is the latest joke pushed by the league. A 41-point, 18-rebound, 5-assist, 2-steal, 2-block performance against a flailing Warriors team in a 127-113 victory does not make you an MVP, no matter what Steve Kerr says. This isn’t about individual brilliance; it’s about the NBA’s desperate need for a new narrative, and they’re force-feeding us a superstar before he’s even earned his stripes.

The Edit

  • Wemby’s MVP push is a media-fueled fantasy designed to distract from the league’s bigger problems.
  • Kerr’s praise isn’t genuine awe; it’s a calculated, self-serving political maneuver to stay relevant.
  • The league is manufacturing narratives because genuine superstar drama and compelling storylines are drying up.

This MVP talk for Victor Wembanyama is pure fiction, orchestrated by a league desperate for a new face. Don’t fall for the hype; this is just another manufactured story designed to sell jerseys and boost ratings for a struggling product.

Wemby’s Empty Numbers: The Illusion of Impact

Sure, Wemby dropped a monster 41 points and grabbed 18 rebounds against the Warriors. He even matched his season-high. He did it in a 127-113 victory. But let’s get real: this was the Spurs’ win over a team that’s barely clinging to the play-in, a team that’s a shadow of its former self. Scoring big against a Golden State squad that’s past its prime doesn’t scream MVP. It screams “good player on a bad team.” The Spurs are still a lottery team, languishing at the bottom of the Western Conference. They’re not contenders. They are 20-60!

The stat sheet looks nice. The Spurs even managed to win 10 straight games at one point. During that brief, anomalous run, Wemby averaged an impressive 27.9 PPG. Impressive, right? Not so fast. The Spurs are still nowhere near the top. They are not winning championships. An MVP elevates his team. He makes them a true threat. Wemby is putting up numbers, yes, but his team is still losing. He’s a statistical marvel on a losing squad, which is the antithesis of an MVP.

Kerr’s Calculated Compliments: A Masterclass in Media Manipulation

Steve Kerr called Wemby “brilliant.” He praised his “unbelievable confidence.” This isn’t genuine awe or a spontaneous burst of admiration. This is a coach trying to stay relevant, trying to build a new rivalry, trying to inject some life into his own fading franchise. The Warriors are fading fast, clinging to past glory. They need new storylines to keep the spotlight on them, even if it means hyping up an opponent. Praising the new hotness creates buzz, generates clicks, and keeps the conversation flowing. It’s a calculated move. It benefits Kerr. It benefits the NBA. It’s a cynical play, pure and simple.

“He’s brilliant,” Kerr reportedly said, according to Reuters. “He’s got unbelievable confidence, an unbelievable skill set. He’s an amazing talent.”

Of course, Kerr would say that. He’s been around long enough to know exactly how the media game works. He knows how to feed the beast, how to spin a narrative. He’s not genuinely praising a rival; he’s praising a future meal ticket for the league, a player whose hype benefits everyone involved in the NBA’s marketing machine. This isn’t about respect. It’s about business. It’s about generating content. And Kerr, the ultimate NBA insider, is playing his part perfectly.

The MVP Narrative Machine: Why the League Desperately Needs a New Hero

The league loves a fresh face. They crave a new narrative because the old ones are getting stale. LeBron is aging, Curry’s dynasty is crumbling, and the constant drama around super teams has become predictable. Wemby is the perfect canvas. He’s tall, he’s unique, he’s foreign, and he’s incredibly marketable. So, they push the MVP talk. They push the Defensive Player of the Year talk, even though the Spurs’ defense is still porous and inconsistent. A “lock” for DPOY? Please. The team’s overall defensive rating is still abysmal. Individual stats don’t always translate to team success, and the league is conveniently ignoring that inconvenient truth.

This is the analytics era gone wild, where we cherry-pick stats and ignore context. We ignore team record. We ignore actual winning. The MVP award used to mean something profound. It meant you were the best player on a contending team, the undisputed leader who dragged your squad to greatness. Now, it’s just a popularity contest, a highlight-reel competition, a media-driven coronation. It’s about who gets the most buzz, who the media decides to crown, rather than who genuinely impacts winning at the highest level. The integrity of the award is being eroded by this relentless narrative pushing.

Load Management Hypocrisy: Why We Can’t Take Awards Seriously Anymore

Let’s talk about the real issues plaguing the NBA: load management. We see stars sitting out games, “managing” their bodies, prioritizing individual health over team success and fan experience. Yet, we celebrate individual stats and ignore the bigger picture of a diluted product. Wemby plays hard. He shows up. That’s commendable, a breath of fresh air in an era of coddled superstars. But it doesn’t make him an MVP contender. Not when his team is barely treading water, consistently at the bottom of the standings. The league wants to have it both ways: preach team basketball, celebrate individual glory, allow stars to dictate their schedules, and then push narratives about individual awards. It’s a circus. It’s a joke. It devalues the awards. It devalues the regular season. It makes a mockery of competition.

Super Team Collusion and the Devaluation of True MVP Status

The best players collude to form super teams, chasing rings with pre-assembled rosters rather than building something organically. They don’t chase individual excellence on their own; they chase the path of least resistance to a championship. Wemby, by contrast, is stuck on a rebuilding team. He’s putting in the work, undeniably. But he’s not surrounded by talent; he’s not in a position to truly contend. How can you be the Most Valuable Player when your team isn’t valuable? When your team isn’t winning? The very definition of “Most Valuable Player” implies an impact on team success, on the standings, on the ultimate goal of winning a championship. When your team is consistently losing, your “value” is inherently limited, no matter how flashy your individual numbers.

The Real MVP Candidates: Where Winning Still Matters

The real MVP candidates are leading their teams to actual victories, consistently. They are winning games that matter, impacting the standings, and making a tangible difference. They are not just putting up numbers; they are impacting the game in meaningful ways, elevating their teammates, and making their organizations better. They are the ones who truly embody the spirit of the award.

This MVP discussion for Wemby is premature, a distraction, and frankly, an insult to players who are genuinely leading their teams to success. It’s a narrative designed to sell tickets, generate clicks, and keep the NBA relevant in a crowded sports landscape. Don’t fall for it. Don’t buy into the hype. The MVP award should mean something. It should represent true value, leadership, and a direct impact on winning. Not just a good stat line in a few games on a losing team. The league’s desperation to crown its next global superstar is blinding it to the true meaning of the award.

This whole MVP talk is a sham. It’s a marketing ploy. The league needs to stop pushing these fake narratives and focus on real winning, real impact, and genuine competition. Otherwise, the MVP award will become utterly meaningless, just another shiny bauble in a league increasingly obsessed with style over substance. Who are the real MVPs? The ones winning when it counts, not just filling stat sheets on a lottery team.

Photo: Photo by Thomas S on Openverse (wikimedia) (https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=127980333)


Source: Google News

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Jalen 'Swish' Carter

NBA and College Hoops insider with the freshest takes.