2008 NBA MVP Contenders

The Most Valuable Player award was created to honor the first commissioner of the NBA, Maurice Podoloff, and was first awarded in 1956. Each year it is given at the end of the regular season to the player who played a major impact on the success of their team. There are several subjective factors, like the team's record or the player's statistics; the voters may take into consideration before they make their decision. As a result, this award has created controversy during the past 50 years between the fans and media members. One interesting fact is since the 1982-1983 season, only players from teams with more than 50 or more wins have won the MVP.

There are several players who have continued their stellar play since the beginning of the season and have earned consideration for the award. If the season ended today, here is a list of those who will be involved with the voting, along with the results.

1) Lebron James (Cleveland Cavaliers) - James is the current NBA scoring leader, with 30.9 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 7.4 assists per game thus far in the season. This despite the fact James missed eight games earlier in the season with an injury. What has made James' season even more impressive is being able to duplicate the same level of production on the home court while they are on the road. The concern before with the Cavaliers was the lack of any real additional support. This changed at trade time when the Cavaliers picked up Ben Wallace and Wally Szczerbiak. Wallace brings a solid defense presence to the team despite the wear and tear on his body, while Wally gives James someone to kick the ball out to for the open shot. With the stranglehold the Pistons have on the division lead, the Cavs are attempting to position themselves for the playoff run and James will be the key to their success. If James continues his strong MVP performance into the playoffs, the Cavaliers will have a chance to reach the Finals. Regardless, James has earned strong consideration for the MVP and will be looking to earn the first award of many that he will receive in his career.