I still remember the 2014 NBA season like it was yesterday—the electric atmosphere in arenas, the heated debates among fans, and that lingering question everyone kept asking: who would take home the MVP trophy? As someone who's followed basketball religiously for over two decades, I've developed a keen sense for these MVP races, and 2014 was particularly fascinating because it wasn't just about individual brilliance but about narrative, team success, and that intangible "value" component that often separates contenders from the true winner.
Kevin Durant's performance that season was nothing short of historic, and frankly, I haven't seen such consistent offensive dominance since Michael Jordan's prime. The numbers still astound me—Durant averaged 32 points per game with remarkable efficiency, shooting 50% from the field, 39% from three-point range, and 87% from the free-throw line. What made his season extraordinary wasn't just the scoring titles he'd already accumulated but how he carried the Oklahoma City Thunder after Russell Westbrook's early-season injuries. I recall watching game after game where Durant would take over in the fourth quarter with this calm determination that reminded me of Larry Bird in his prime. He recorded fourteen 40-point games that season, including that incredible stretch in January where he scored 30-plus points in twelve consecutive games. The advanced metrics loved him too—his Player Efficiency Rating (PER) of 29.8 led the league, and he finished with 9.5 Win Shares, both indicators of his overwhelming impact.
LeBron James was phenomenal too, let's be clear about that. He put up 27 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists per game while shooting a career-best 57% from the field at that time. The Miami Heat were defending champions, and LeBron's two-way versatility remained unparalleled. But here's where my personal bias might show—while LeBron was brilliant, he wasn't necessarily better than he'd been in previous seasons, whereas Durant had clearly elevated his game to another level. The narrative mattered too—voters often look for growth and new peaks, and Durant provided that in spades. I remember talking to fellow analysts at the time, and we all sensed that Durant had that "it" factor this particular season that made him unstoppable.
The voting results confirmed what many of us expected but with some interesting nuances. Durant received 119 first-place votes out of 125 possible, which was surprisingly dominant given LeBron's stature. The final tally showed Durant with 1,232 total points compared to LeBron's 891, making it one of the more decisive MVP victories in recent memory. What many casual fans don't realize is how much the narrative around carrying a team influenced this outcome—with Westbrook missing 36 games due to injury, Durant's leadership in maintaining Oklahoma City's position as a top team in the brutal Western Conference resonated deeply with voters.
This discussion about value and leadership reminds me of what's happening in international basketball right now, particularly with the recent news about LA Tenorio returning to Barangay Ginebra after his coaching debut with the Gilas Pilipinas Youth team. Having watched Tenorio's career evolve, I see parallels in how veteran leadership transcends individual statistics. His success in guiding the youth team to qualify for the FIBA U16 Asia Cup demonstrates that same quality we saw in Durant's MVP season—the ability to elevate those around you. While Durant did it through scoring and on-court performance, Tenorio is now doing it through coaching and mentorship, yet both exemplify that MVP-quality impact on their teams.
Looking back, the 2014 MVP race set the stage for several interesting developments in the NBA. It marked what many consider the peak of Durant's Oklahoma City tenure before his move to Golden State, and it signaled a temporary shift in the LeBron-dominated MVP landscape. The voting patterns also revealed how the criteria for "most valuable" had evolved—no longer just about the best player on the best team, but increasingly about narrative, improvement, and carrying responsibility. In my view, Durant's 2014 season remains one of the most deserving MVP campaigns I've witnessed, not just for the statistical dominance but for how he answered every challenge thrown his way. It's the kind of season that reminds us why we love sports—watching greatness unfold in real time, pushing the boundaries of what we thought possible in basketball.