What's Wright - Best Of - Who is NBA MVP? Eagles BASH Jalen Hurts, where Mahomes/Allen/Lamar rank ALL-TIME

Welcome to the Best of the Week on What’s Right with Nick Wright. Let’s get into it.

Two weeks to go and the MVP race is wild. Is this the best race ever, and why is Luka’s case so divisive?

Best race ever? No chance—1962 still wears that crown, when Wilt was around fifty a night with more than twenty-five boards, Oscar averaged a triple-double, Baylor dropped huge numbers part-time while serving, and Russell still won. Now to Luka: people are rewriting expectations midseason, his team blew past projections into top-three territory despite major games missed by key teammates, and he’s been driving elite offense all year.

He didn’t suddenly get hot; aside from a post–All-Star dip, he’s stacked month after month of big scoring and playmaking. The late push just amplified what was already there.

The defense talk gets exaggerated; lowlight reels aren’t the whole story and advanced stats overvalue finishing possessions with rebounds. MVP has never been a perfect two-way award—it’s historically weighted heavily toward offense, and by that standard he belongs in the thick of it.

Wemby’s defensive impact is monstrous, but he’s playing far fewer minutes, and there’s a huge gap in offensive creation between them; minutes matter when you tally season-long value. If you want to argue Wemby or Shai, fine, but acting like Luka has no case is moving the goalposts.

Coming matchups among the candidates—could they swing votes?

Shai probably finishes with a floor of seconds across ballots, which often decides this thing. Head-to-heads help narratives, but the award isn’t about hypotheticals; you’ve got to weigh the whole season.

Does Jokic’s stat line—potentially leading in rebounds and assists while flirting with a triple-double—make him the front-runner if he didn’t already have multiple MVPs?

If he had none, he’d likely be out front. He’s been superb again, but voter fatigue plus a team that’s been shaky late in games keeps him a touch behind the leaders for me.

And a note on Luka’s rep: every postseason he’s been a problem for opponents, from pushing those elite Clippers to dismantling Phoenix and carrying deep runs. He’s not perfect, but he’s earned more respect than he’s getting.

ESPN detailed Eagles turmoil around Hurts and Sirianni. Worse than you expected?

Not worse, but it confirms real fractures—this kind of piece doesn’t come out of airtight buildings. AJ Brown’s flare-ups didn’t sink him because many inside saw broader issues, and Hurts’ resistance to more under-center looks, play-action, and motion limited the pass game.

That bomb on fourth down they reportedly improvised is a perfect example—if you go rogue, you’d better hit it. The Kobe–Jordan leadership style only works when your individual standard is beyond reproach; it’s not a universal template.

The Russ comp fits: when the running threat fades, you must level up as a precision passer or lean back into the legs. Sirianni’s seat is hot, and for a QB fresh off a Super Bowl run, Hurts’ chair is warmer than it should be.

Forecast the finish for Mahomes, Allen, Lamar, and Burrow in all-time rankings.

Mahomes likely ends up second behind Brady, with a real shot to chase him. Lamar’s résumé today sits ahead of Allen’s thanks to two MVPs, though Allen may finish strong with titles; I see Allen landing near the Young–Warner tier, Lamar around the Roethlisberger range, and Burrow closer to Stafford territory with health and team success deciding Hall of Fame odds.

Has Lamar exceeded early expectations, and why do some folks still prefer Burrow?

He shattered them—final pick of the first round to unanimous MVP in his first full season as a starter is historic. Many people subconsciously rank pure passers and discount what legs do to defenses; Lamar just needs one big postseason run to reset the conversation.

Your personal Mount Rushmore of sports moments?

Tiger reclaiming the Masters in 2019, LeBron’s chase-down in Game 7, the Chiefs going back-to-back against the Niners, and Bolt easing up while winning the hundred—those still give me chills.