Team USA secured their fifth consecutive gold medal by defeating France in the final of the Paris Olympics. However, amid the celebrations, what caught many people’s attention was LeBron James being named MVP. This decision sparked frustration among some, including sports commentators Skip Bayless and Gilbert Arenas, who believed that Stephen Curry deserved the title instead.
Recently, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst revealed a surprising detail about how the Olympic MVP was chosen. According to Windhorst, the voting process for the MVP award was decided before the semi-final game was even over.
“The Olympics MVP is so new, this is only the second time they have done it in the modern era that it’s not something that people even think about really,” Windhorst said.
“I was told that it’s media voting, which the media could vote on. There was a QR code allegedly on the wall. They opened the voting during the semifinals,” Windhorst added.
Did Early MVP Selection Cost Stephen Curry the Award?
Stephen Curry delivered his best performances during the Paris Olympics in the semifinal and gold medal games. Curry scored 36 points in the semifinals, shooting 12-of-19 from the field, leading Team USA to a hard-fought 95-91 victory.
Curry continued his hot streak in the gold medal game against France, where he scored 24 points, all from beyond the arc. He made 17 three-pointers in his last two games and averaged 30 points across the semifinal and final. This scoring average is the highest of any player in Olympic history.
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However, despite these standout performances, it’s unfortunate that the Paris Olympics MVP was selected before Curry displayed athleticism in the tournament. Many believe that his contributions should have been recognized with the MVP title, but the early selection process left Curry out of the running for the prestigious award.
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