Contenders

Cotton
Ware
Bogut

Smokies

Sobey
Long
Patterson

That's all.

Special mention to Cameron Bairstow

Serious Question: The MOST I see of Bogut is when he is getting outplayed by Brandt. Why do people think he's so great?
From what I have seen (about the same amount) Long is by far the best centre in the league, but everyone has Bogut as an MPV candidate.

Bryce Cotton on track to become first player since Andrew Gaze to win back-to-back NBL MVP awards:
https://thewest.com.au/sport/perth-wildcats/bryce-cotton-on-track-to-equal-andrew-gaze-as-nbls-only-back-to-back-mvp-ng-b881094240z

One-eyed I may be, but given the changes to the voting, its hard to go past Cotton.

The previous game-by-game system tended to favour standouts from struggling teams, and Milo Tremble would have been a shoe-in. It would also have penalised Cotton for missing games, and for his poor games on the comeback.

Ware is a very strong Candidate, and if it were really "Most Valuable" I would give my vote to Casper.

I honestly think it will come down to Ware, Cotton, Trimble, or Long.

My tip is Long. Only because I suspect that voters may try to balance votes between bigs and smalls, and I think there's a lot more competition in the backcourt.

The MOST I see of Bogut is when he is getting outplayed by Brandt. Why do people think he's so great?

It would also have penalised Cotton for missing games

I suspect that voters may try to balance votes between bigs and smalls

Add another 14% for whinging sitting on the Bench against Johnson

Ah KoberCrack, that must be some good shit you're smoking.

I just went off the shortlist that the league put out but not having Bairstow in the top 20? Are they joking? that made me want to throw up.

Ah KoberCrack, that must be some good shit you're smoking.

Haha Jick we were all waiting for a Bairstow reference from you.

I think Nick Kay is a real chance. He's first in Offensive Rating and fourth in Defensive Rating (behind Bogut, Boone and Kennedy). In Efficiency Differential he's first by a country mile. But I guess these sort of stats favor bigs?

I thought the new MVP system was beginning 2019/20- but no, it starts this season.

[The format by which the NBL's Most Valuable Player is chosen has changed for the 2018/19 season, with a panel of experts (media, former players and coaches) to create a shortlist of 20, which the captain, head coach and assistant coach from each club then vote on in a 3-2-1 format].

From here:

http://www.nbl.com.au/news/article/nbl-mvp-voting-changes

That's a game changer. I think that increases the chances of the guys who were already favourites - Casper, Cotton and Bogut- and decreases the chances of everybody else even more, relative to the old system.

The players and coaches value success, and they'll believe that those are the guys who have contributed the most to the success of the top 3 teams.

And yeah, it gives Nick Kay and Randle a better chance too- two guys who have contributed much to very successful teams.

And Sobey- if he had a big game on Friday and got Adelaide into the 4, you wouldn't write him off. Same for Patterson - if he had 30 and got Brisbane the win against NZ, it'd be fresh in players minds when the voting takes place.

But Id be even more surprised now if Casper, Cotton and Bogut weren't top 3

How many clutch shots have Cotton and Casper hit this season? How many tight games have Perth and United won, with those two playing huge roled? Those moments will be replaying in the minds of the players and coaches when they vote.

When teams are planning their matchups, they know those 3 are the guys who have the most influence on the contest for their teams

How much impact will Friday's game actually have? The awards night is two days later, surely votes will already be done?

Yeah I think in reality it has to be one of Cotton, Ware or Bogut. I'm going to guess Cotton.

I disagree

The old system did, but now they only get to vote once, and only 3-2-1.
Nobody' going to give those guys 3 votes, and I doubt they'll get many 2s either.

Still not convinced on Bogut, I think Long has been better.