Give Wade The MVP Already!

To NBA fans, we know the three contenders for this season's MVP are: Kobe Bryant, Lebron James, and Dwyane Wade. But if these NBA voters are worth any of their basketball acumen, they will give this prestigious MVP award to Miami Heat's Dwyane Wade.

In the words of Heat's newly minted coach Eric Spoesltra: I don't know what else this guy (D-Wade aka Flash) has to do (in not getting this award). If anyone watched the Monday night madness of a double over-time game between Miami Heat and the Chicago Bulls, there should be no further doubt that Flash unequivocally deserves the MVP.

But I'm not surprised that Flash always seem to be the under-rated player to King James (Lebron) even though he was the only Rookie standing in the playoffs in the much acclaimed 2003 class. He's already won an NBA championship (in his third year) and was the MVP of that championship. And during the last Olympics, most basketball insiders said D-Wade was the MVP of that "Redeem Team" even though he came off the bench after devastating injuries that kept him out of the game last season.

It seems D-Wade always have to be the one to prove something to all these knuckleheads who get a mic in front or attached to them that he's indeed one of the three best players in the league . . . but he brings something more than the much hyped (who has lived up and above the hype) Lebron James or the sickening playing ability of Kobe Bryant. What more you say? Well, in the words of "Legs" (NBA Analyst Tim Legler), D-Wade brings the speed of Chris Paul, the strength of Lebron (in getting to the basket), and the closing ability of Kobe.

Besides, when did the MVP start being about the team with the best record? Oh I know, in the past five years! When such broad definition upsets basketball purists like me. If you take Kobe out of the Lakers, the Lakers will still have a decent record and make the Playoffs and so is Lebron out of the Cavs but not so with the Heat. Hence, the meaning of MVP -Most Valuable Player. Duh!

Also, why in the world would you want to give the MVP to ball-hugger Kobe who only after a decade of being in the league knew to drop a dime to one of his teammates. Nah! He'll rather try to score 81 when the rest of his team score less than 60. Seriously! Not so with D-Wade, he's leading the league in scoring and is the third in assists (hear that KOBE?), and third in steals and a force in blocks. The guy's defense has shot up!

And another thing with these voters and Miami teams is that they have this notion of Miami being a place of glamour. So the Refs and the talking heads don't give them a chance unless the players work for it (more than most). But what they don't understand while is duly noted that Miami could be glamorous (i.e. SoBe - that's "South Beach" to those who are not locals), they forget the grit of the city (i.e. Liberty City - a place you don't want to be after a certain time).

That is the dichotomy - and it is embodied in this NBA team called the Miami Heat with one of its co-captain nickname called Flash (the Glamour) while the other captain is UD (Udonis Haslem) who shows the "grit" (straight up from Liberty City). This is a team that will out-hustle any team but still shows the poetry in motion by the athletic ability of Flash. After all, NBA folks, don't you want your MVP to be an embodiment of both.

So to NBA voters, this is not a homer speaking, just someone with a high basketball IQ (in my humble opinion:-). Give Wade the MVP and send a strong message that though you sidetracked for some years, you understand the true meaning of MVP and it belongs to "Wade County." (A pun out of Miami-Dade County)

Tags: Dwyane Wade, MVP