LeBron James believes OG Anunoby was the New York Knicks’ MVP in last season’s NBA Finals, a take he threw out there on his “Mind the Game” podcast with Steve Nash. This isn’t just a casual thought either, LeBron was dropping this bombshell during a full-on 2026-27 season preview, making it clear where he stands.
The Anunoby Argument: Clutch Plays and Big Numbers
Anunoby’s performance against the San Antonio Spurs in those five Finals games was seriously legit. He was dropping 21.2 points on a super efficient 52.5 percent shooting, pulling down 4.8 rebounds, and stuffing the stat sheet with 1.4 blocks and 1.4 steals per game. But the play everyone still talks about? That insane game-winning tip-in in Game 4. It capped off a wild 29-point comeback, sealing a 107-106 victory that nobody saw coming. And he wasn’t just clutch for that one moment, he finished that game with 33 points and threw in a game-saving block on Spurs point guard De’Aaron Fox on the possession right before the tip-in. LeBron totally zeroed in on how Anunoby “did all the little things,” highlighting that all-around impact.
Brunson’s MVP Reign: Numbers Don’t Lie, But Do They Tell the Whole Story?
Now, Jalen Brunson, the Knicks’ captain and guard, *did* snag the actual NBA Finals MVP award. And look, you can’t argue with his numbers. He was torching the Spurs for a series-high 32.6 points per game. He even dropped a monster 45-point game in the series-clinching Game 5, where the Knicks won 94-90. So, yeah, the award absolutely made sense given those stats. But LeBron’s out here saying Anunoby’s impact, all those “little things,” were the real MVP-level contributions that pushed the Knicks over the top.
This whole debate gets put on blast super soon, too. LeBron and the Philadelphia 76ers kick off their regular season on Tuesday, October 20, by visiting the New York Knicks. You know that first matchup is going to be absolutely electric, with this kind of talk hanging heavy in the air, setting up an early season statement game for both squads.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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