Boston Celtics forward Jaylen Brown (7) Paul Rutherford-USA TODAY Sports

'I feel like they move the bar': Jaylen Brown questions NBA's MVP voting process

By Adam Taylor | Last updated 2/17/24

Boston's Jaylen Brown believes the NBA "moves the bar" regarding MVP voting.

Brown's comments during his All-Star game press conference were likely regarding teammate Jayson Tatum, who, according to ESPN's Tim Bontemps, is sixth in MVP voting this season. Yet, Tatum is the best player on the Celtics, who hold the best record in the NBA.

"It's tough to keep up with it," Brown said. "I feel like they move the bar, but we have some great players. I play with one of them; JT (Jayson Tatum) should be at the front of that list. You also got great players that have been playing really well. Jokic is a beast. Giannis. Embiid before he got hurt...Who knows what the actual criteria is. I've had questions about a lot of different things that goes into stuff. But, we'll see."

Jaylen Brown when asked about this year's MVP race:

"It's tough to keep up with it. I feel like they move the bar, but we have some great players. I play with one of them; JT (Jayson Tatum) should be at the front of that list..." pic.twitter.com/Zm17qB6PdX
— Josue Pavón (@Joe_Sway) February 17, 2024

This is Brown's third career All-Star appearance while thriving as a featured scorer on the Celtics offense. He's also had an up-close-and-personal experience with Tatum's leadership and dominance this season.

As a vice president of the NBA Players Association, Brown's comments will likely carry weight with the league's front office. The lack of clear criteria in MVP voting creates a discourse among fanbases around the league. Yes, there's no denying that Nikola Jokic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander should be the two front-runners for the award. Still, fans would like to understand what goes into such decisions.

Discussions about the MVP voting process occur every year. While it's not ideal, it does get fans talking. It creates interest within the league.

So, it's unlikely the league will provide clarity any time soon. With nothing likely to change in the coming months or years, fans can turn their attention toward watching Brown compete in Saturday's Slam Dunk Contest, where he's hoping to add another accolade to his resume.

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