The race for MVP is always an interesting one because it splits opinion. Some believe it’s simply about the player with the best stats whilst others maintain it is about which player provides most for their.

For me personally it comes down to who played the best whilst helping their team the most. That’s why last year I thought it should have been Dwyane Wade and not LeBron James.

Let’s compare the numbers.

LeBron who won the MVP last year finished the season with numbers of 28.4 PPG, 7.7 rebounds, 7.2 assists, 1.1 blocks and 1.7 steals, numbers worthy of an MVP award.

Wade’s numbers looked like this, 30.2PPG, 5 rebounds, 7.5 assists, 1.3 blocks and 2.2 steals. Wade even had a better field goal percentage than James quite a remarkable feat considering he averaged more points per game and took more shots than LeBron.

Consider this; Wade was injured for much of the 2007-08 season suffering from a knee injury. He played through the pain but was shut down with 21 games remaining. That season Miami won 15 games, the worst record in the league and some critics speculated that Wade’s career could be at risk due to the injury.

But he bounced back putting up MVP like numbers, numbers which I believe should have seen him crowned the league’s best. His return to fitness helped Miami win 43 games a 28 game swing from the previous year.

Yes LeBron led his team to the best record in the Eastern Conference and they did only lose two games at home all season but I do not accept this notion that the best player on the best team is the MVP.

If you had a team of five LeBron’s and they each averaged 12 points a game and six rebounds apart from one who averaged 14.5ppg and seven rebounds and had the side best record in the league does that makes them the MVP? No. It possibly makes them less valuable because the team has other talent it can rely on and makes it easier for the player’s to perform. And you can make the argument that the Cavs have more talent than the Heat.

Bearing that in mind we have only played two weeks of a long a gruelling season the MVP race will see many changes at the top but you can already look see who is going to be up there at the end of the season.

Here are the early season candidates for MVP.

1- Kobe Bryant, 33.6 ppg, 2.6 assists, 5.7 rebounds, .200 3pt%, 2.57 steals.

Kobe was supposed to start slowing down this year with his age and mileage on his knees, but so far the four-time NBA champion is lighting up the league scoring at will and leading his team to a 6-1 record.

2- Steve Nash, 18.3 ppg, 12.9 assists, 2.9 rebounds, .486 3pt%, .13 steals

Nash is returning to his MVP form helping the Suns tie a franchise record best 7-1 start. He already has two 20 assist games this season and has helped the Suns average 110.9 points a game and is shooting 93% from the free throw line. If he and the Suns keep it up Nash will have his third career MVP award.

3- Carmelo Anthony, 30 ppg, 3 assists, 6.1 rebounds, .409 3pt% 1.63 steals

Melo is having a career year and has yet to score below 20 points in eight games. His team stands top of its division and if he keeps up his scoring Denver will be a real threat in the west. This is his breakout year where Melo actually shows he can produce and not just be the player with all the talent that goes unused.

4- Dwyane Wade, 29.9 ppg, 4.9 assists, 4.1 rebounds, .200 3pt%, 1.86 steals

Wade is scoring 30 points a game again and has led the Heat to a 6-1 start, matching a franchise best. He isn’t surrounded by masses of talent and has scored 40 points against the Wizards twice this. If he improved on his three point percentage he could well be top of this list.

5- Paul pierce, 18.8 ppg, 4.1 assists, 5 rebounds .516 3pt%, 1.25 steals.

The Truth has only played 34.6 minutes a game this season and still manages to put up good numbers.    Added to the fact he has to share the ball with Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett, naturally his numbers will be down but let’s face it he has been stellar so far.

6- LeBron James, 26.6 ppg, 8 assists, 7.7 rebounds, .364 3pt%, 1.71 steals.

The Cavs have not started so well and the addition of Shaq might be having an adverse effect on the team. That hasn’t stopped ‘King James’ from putting up huge numbers again. However his numbers are down from last year but once they get but up to what we’re used to James could easily be winning his second MVP in a row.

7- Chris Bosh, 29 ppg, 1.7 assists, 11.6 rebounds, 1.000 3pt%, 1 blocks.

Bosh is putting up huge numbers in his contract year but is not getting the attention he should from the media. He has taken six three pointers this year and made all of them and for a big man that is impressive. If he wants to be considered for MVP he needs to step up his defence, 1 block per game is not good enough for someone his size.

8- Dwight Howard, 19.4 ppg, 1.6 assists, 11 rebounds, .634 FG %, 1.5 blocks.

Superman is not being so super this year, only 19.4 points and 1.5 blocks is not what he have come to expect from the big man. He has struggled with foul trouble this year but still manages to take down 11 boards. His Magic are 6-2 partly down to his performances and so he gets the last place on the list.