Anthony Davis was a stat-stuffing machine throughout the first week of the 2016-17 NBA season, averaging 37.7 points, 12.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 3.0 steals and 3.0 blocks.
MVP-like numbers, right?
Absolutely, but if history is any indication, he has no legitimate shot to walk away with the revered trophy come next May.
According to an article published on ESPN earlier today, Kevin Pelton reveals that players who have not been on teams in the top-10 have yet to win a Most Valuable Player Award during the modern era (1980-present). And, it hasn’t mattered if any of these teams included the best player in the league (per the statistical measure of WARP) during the season in question.