The 2022-2023 NBA regular season is complete, and NBA MVP candidates have separated themselves from the pack. Two-time defending MVP Nikola Jokic is among the favorites to win the award again this year, but he will face several strong candidates looking to earn the award for themselves. Here, we look at the favorites to win the award, along with some deserving longshot candidates.
2022-2023 NBA MVP Odds
| Player |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jokic | -300 | -250 | -270 | -265 | |
| Murray | +1200 | +2800 | +1800 | +4000 | |
| Butler | +1300 | +450 | +400 | +475 | +260 |
| Adebayo | +12500 | +500 | +550 | +550 | +6500 |
| Herro | +15000 | +25000 | +50000 | ||
| Gordon | +20000 | +50000 | +30000 | +50000 | |
| Porter Jr. | +20000 | +30000 | +25000 | +35000 | |
| Lowry | +25000 | +50000 | +20000 | +50000 | |
| Martin | +30000 | +25000 | +50000 | ||
| Brown | +50000 | +50000 | |||
| Robinson | +50000 | +20000 | |||
| Vincent | +50000 | +3000 | +4000 | +4000 | +50000 |
| Green | +50000 | +50000 | |||
| Caldwell-Pope | +50000 | +50000 | |||
| Love | +50000 | +30000 | |||
| Strus | +50000 | +20000 | +15000 |
NBA MVP Award Favorites
The group of players with a realistic shot at winning this year’s NBA MVP award has shrunk to about three players. Those players are Joel Embiid, Nikola Jokic, and Giannis Antetokounmpo, who are at the top of the list of NBA MVP odds. Embiid is currently the favorite among those three players, but we could see any one of them walk away with this year’s MVP award.
Embiid was great for the Philadelphia 76ers this regular season, who finished third in the Eastern Conference standings thanks to his superb play. Embiid is great at getting to the free throw line, infuriatingly so at times. But he can do much more than that, as his scoring and rebounding abilities are virtually unmatched at his position today.
Nikola Jokic has won the last two NBA MVP awards, with the question being whether or not voter fatigue will outweigh his carrying of the Denver Nuggets to the top of the Western Conference standings. And Giannis Antetokounmpo also has his team at the top of the conference standings, which will prompt debates as to whether team success should outweigh individual numbers when awarding the MVP.
NBA MVP Award Dark Horses
Outside of the big three in the NBA MVP race, there are a few players who still have a chance to win this award. Jayson Tatum is responsible for leading the Boston Celtics overcoming a coaching change and an NBA Finals loss last season, with the Celtics not missing a beat. It would certainly be understandable to bet on him to win MVP, especially at long odds.
There is also an argument to be made that Donovan Mitchell deserves consideration at long odds to win the MVP. The Cleveland Cavaliers were a play-in tournament team before he got there, and now they are one of the top-five teams in the Eastern Conference. He likely has not done enough to earn the award, but he deserves a decent number of votes for his work this season.
NBA MVP Award Longshots
Looking at longshots on the list of NBA MVP odds at this point in the season can be something of a futile exercise. With the regular season in the books, there is no time left for players to make up the statistical gaps that exist between longshot options and the MVP favorites. Instead, it might be a better idea to either sit this market out until next season, or take one of the top-three contenders that you feel has the most value.
