There is a narrow leader in the early race for the Michael Jordan Trophy.
Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum, who is averaging a career-high 30.2 points per game, claimed 47 first-place votes and was on 98 of 100 ballots cast in the 2022-23 debut of ESPN's NBA MVP straw poll, which was conducted from Sunday to Tuesday.
Tatum would become the first Celtics player since Larry Bird to win the league's highest individual honor -- now named after Jordan following the NBA's announcement of its newly christened slate of awards earlier this week.