LeBron James won his first NBA MVP award during the 2008-09 season after leading the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 21-game improvement and the top overall seed in the playoffs. It was his sixth season.
He led the NBA with a player efficiency rating (PER) of 29.2 and helped carry the Cavs to top-four finishes in both offensive and defensive efficiency. James would go on to lead the Cavaliers to another 60-win season in 2009-10, then guided each of his next eight teams to the NBA Finals. During that span, LeBron won four NBA MVP awards and earned three NBA championships.
Giannis Antetokounmpo is the front-runner to win his first NBA MVP award this season -- his sixth in the NBA. The Bucks are the top seed in the playoffs after a 16-win improvement year-over-year. Giannis led the NBA with a PER of 31.0, and his Bucks finished top-three in offensive and defensive efficiency.
Deja vu. But can Antetokounmpo dominate the East for the next decade like James did?