After just 19 games, the New Orleans Pelicans have one of the most valuable players in the NBA, but where does he rank among his peers?
How is value defined in sports? The New Orleans Pelicans saw first hand how much value one player can bring to a team when Zion Williamson returned and made them the talk of the NBA.
The Most Valuable Player award is given to the player with the most impressive season, but the definition of “value” is left intentionally vague.
It’s a difficult term to define, as some would say that wins and losses determine a player’s value, while others might be pedantic and say it’s the amount of revenue he generates for his team.
We tried to use a definition of value that took into account three things:
- Jersey Sales: This might seem petty, but a team’s uniform is an ambassador for the team and the league. Jersey sales not only generate revenue but increase the visibility of the team as a whole. Every player on this list moves merch.
- Importance to team: If you took this player off of his team, how would they do? There are a couple of players on this list whose teams would be in the lottery without their services. We’re looking at you, Warriors.
- Importance to the future of the league: Players are not just representatives of their teams, but also the league, its legacy and future. Could this player be the face of the league? Could you them getting a 100-foot banner on the side of a building in China?
You might notice “skills” and “wins and losses” are omitted from this list, but can we just assume everyone on it is good at basketball, has won in the past and will win again?
Giannis Antetokounmpo is probably going to win his second MVP, but by our metrics is probably not the most valuable player, even though he is on the court.
Here are the ten most valuable players in the league right now. Will any New Orleans Pelicans make the cut? Let’s find out.