Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James said he is not bothered by the decision to end the NBA MVP career before the season resumes in Orlando.
The 2019-20 MVP will be determined based on games played until when the league was suspended in March amid the coronavirus pandemic.
That means the likes of James and reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo won’t have a chance to reframe their claims as the NBA prepares to return via a 22-team format at Walt Disney Resort on July 30.
James, however, told reporters on Monday: “I am not disappointed that things happen. You control what you can control, and I cannot control that.”
“As for the MVP career, I think I have shown what I am capable of doing. Not only individually but from a team perspective, we are number one in the West.”
The Lakers had played 63 of the 82-game regular season when the season came to a stop, Los Angeles with a 49-14 record, best in the Western Conference, with James leading the way.
After a difficult first season in Los Angeles, James had returned to his best glowing moment for the Lakers in 2019-20: The veteran’s performances catapulted him into the mix for a fifth MVP award.
By the time the NBA suspended the league, James had averaged 25.7 points, 10.6 assists and 7.9 rebounds per game for the Lakers.
James, whose Lakers restarted their campaign against Los Angeles Clippers rivals on July 30, added: “There was a lot of talk about ‘LeBron can do those things in the East, but if he ever came to the West, what could he do? do?’.
“So I heard all of that. Being able to have our team at the top of the Western Conference and play the way we played at the time and the way I played, is definitely a good feeling.”
