Allen Iverson reveals his pick for NBA MVP Award

As a former NBA MVP, Allen Iverson knows what it takes to be deserving of the most prestigious individual award the game has to offer, and he says Russell Westbrook should be this year’s MVP.

The Hall of Famer sat down for an exclusive interview with B/R Mag and discussed his pick for MVP, among other things:

B/R Mag: Who’s your MVP?

Allen Iverson: Russ.

B/R: Why?

Iverson: I just think he’s headed to doing something that we never thought would happen again [in averaging a triple-double throughout a season].

B/R: Can you break down the MVP candidates?

Iverson: [Kawhi Leonard]’s the best two-way player in the league, plays the game the right way. Well, if you play with Pop [Gregg Popovich], then you’re going to play the game the right way anyways. But he does everything on the floor to help his team win. Right there in the MVP race. In any other season, I think him or James [Harden]—LeBron [James], you could give it to him every year.

But this year, it’s just one of those years for Westbrook, and we should cherish it and love it for what it is, because we never thought this would happen again, just like we never thought nobody will score 100 points like Wilt [Chamberlain] again.

It’s one of them years like you’re supposed to give that to him hands down with the great season those guys are having. I mean, Isaiah [Thomas] has been playing the way he’s been playing. [Kevin] Durant’s been playing the way he’s been playing. A lot of guys are having MVP seasons, but this guy’s just having a special season.

Iverson has a point. It’s been 55 years since the first triple-double season by Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson. The Big O averaged 30.8 points, 12.5 rebounds and 11.4 assists during the 1961-62 season with the Cincinnati Royals.

Westbrook averaged 31.6 points, 10.7 rebounds and 10.6 assists during the regular season with the Oklahoma City Thunder, finishing first in points, second in assists and 10th in rebounds among league leaders. He’s also averaging a triple-double in the postseason (35.0 ppg, 11.8 rpg, 11.3 apg).