Russell Westbrook III

http://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/enidnews.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/8/fa/8fa7a376-3bdb-5618-b033-26e16e3d4ba8/585ccc9069928.image.jpg?crop=334%2C307%2C15%2C13

http://pigstroy.com/uploads/thumbs/c8931cccb-1.jpg

http://www.basket-ball.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Russell+Westbrook+Memphis+Grizzlies+v+Oklahoma+BZy-THNMhsJl.jpg

http://us-full.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/westborrok.jpg

Why do you think Russell Westbrook III should win the 2016-17 NBA MVP AWARD?
We rest our case, thread...

https://img.washingtonpost.com/wp-apps/imrs.php?src=https://img.washingtonpost.com/rf/image_960w/2010-2019/Wires/Images/2017-04-12/AP/Nuggets_Thunder_Basketball_68679-62fa0.jpg&w=480
Enough said!

Russell is going to win.

He's way ahead in all of he polls.

we won't know officially until june:

First-ever NBA awards show to air June 2017 on TNT
Official release
Nov 1, 2016 2:06 PM ET
NEW YORK -- The NBA announced today that the first-ever NBA Awards Show will take place in New York City on Monday, June 26, 2017. Televised exclusively by TNT, the show will feature current and former NBA players, coaches and celebrities.

The star-studded event will recognize NBA players, teams, coaches and executives for their accomplishments and performances from the 2016-17 NBA season. The show will feature the announcements of the Kia NBA Most Valuable Player, Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year, Kia NBA Rookie of the Year, Kia NBA Sixth Man Award, Kia NBA Most Improved Player and Coach of the Year.

While in previous years these awards were announced separately throughout the postseason, this marks the first time that all recipients will be honored on the same night. Additional awards will be announced at a later date as well as the venue, the host and the list of presenters.

Votes end before playoffs, it would be nice to know before our series with Houston, but you're right we won't know for a few months.

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/even-in-maybe-the-tightest-nba-mvp-race-ever-one-man-does-stand-out-from-the-rest/

Not saying I agree with him, but he makes some compelling arguments...

Votes have to be in today. ESPN writers have 27 votes. Russell got 18 first place votes, Harden 4 and Leonard 4. LeBron or Curry might have gotten the other first place vote.

oh, I thought early you were referring to that fan poll

I was going by the ESPN polls, which are fan polls, and Russell had an 82% winning rate in those. But they released their actual writers vote selection today.

Oh I see. Well, fan polls are great and all, but don't factor into it. Don't get me wrong, I want Russ to win, but it could be any of those guys and the arguments are valid was all I was getting at.

Here's a Google sheet where some people have compiled the MVP votes that are public: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1PKL-DCTLQCyRCNzvt_qWNtIDlCgbfGYVFBpEx4x7Y14/edit#gid=137736242

Russ looks to be in a good spot. Here's a current breakdown from this Rockets' site (http://bbs.clutchfans.net/index.php?threads/official-2016-17-nba-mvp-voting-tracker.281911/).


After looking around for what voters have said will make up their official ballot, here are the media members who have confirmed their picks

41 out of 100 voters have revealed their 1st place vote.

UPDATE: Links are now being added to source each voters selections, however; most only reveal their 1st place vote.

Westbrook 1st place votes: 28
Brian Windhorst
Jon Krawcznski
David Aldridge
Kevin Pompey
Steve Kyler
Chris Broussard
Mike Wilbon (will vote Harden for 2nd place)
Frank Isola (heavily implies that Harden will be his 2nd place vote)
Andrew Sharp (voted Harden 3rd) :eek:
Roahn Nadkarni
Keith Smtih (Unclear if his vote is official)
Sean Deveney (voted Harden 3rd) :eek:
Dennis Scott
Royce Young
Ernie Johnson
Lang Whitaker
Doris Burke
Marc Stein
Jalen Rose (confirmed official vote on his podcast)
Kevin Pelton
JA Adande
Justin Verrier
Paul Flannery
Kurt Helin
Joe Vardon
KC Johnson
Richard Walker
Sekou Smith
Harden 1st place votes: 10
Ben Golliver
Brian Mahoney
Howard Beck
Matt Moore
John Schuhmann
Doug Smith
Calvin Watkins
Kevin O'Connor
Davide Chinellato
Bill Simmons
Kawhi 1st place votes: 2
Zach Lowe
Kevin Arnovitz
LeBron 1st place votes: 1
Tim Reynolds

Confirmed voters who have yet to reveal their ballots:
NBA Fan Voting (Vote now!)
Marc Spears
Rachel Nichols (implies that it is between Harden and Westbrook)
Eric Horne (writes for Oklahoman, probably a vote for Westbrook)
Brent Barry
Fran Blinebury (leaning towards Harden or Kawhi)
Steve Ashburner (leaning Westbrook?)
Jeff Zillgitt
Tony Jones
Jason Jones
Nira Khurana (first non-American/non-Canadian to ever vote)
Yoko Miyaji
Ryan Wolstat (leaning Westbrook)
TJ Manotoc
Flavio Tranquillo (will not reveal before June 26)
Matt Winer
Rod Beard
Doug Haller
Jeff McDonald
Eddie Sefko (says he would vote Harden a few weeks ago)
Lisa Shen Yang (from China)
Not many voters have revealed their full ballots, but here are the total votes as of now.

Westbrook: 325 total points
1st place: 28 (280 points)
2nd place: 5 (35 points) Moore, Golliver, Mahoney, Doug Smith, Chinellato
3rd place: 2 (10 points) Lowe, O'Connor
Harden: 203 total points
1st place: 10 (100 points)
2nd place: 13 (91 points) Broussard, Wilbon, Kyler, Aldridge, Kevin Smith, E. Johnson, Lowe, Stein, Flannery, Helin, Vardon, KC Johnson, S. Smith
3rd place: 2 (10 points) Deveney, Sharp
Kawhi: 94 total points
1st place: 2 (20 points)
2nd place: 2 (14 points) Sharp, Deveney
3rd place: 9 (45 points) Broussard, Moore, Kevin Smith, Golliver, Aldridge, Doug Smith, Stein, Flannery, Helin
4th place: 5 (15 points) Kyler, O'Connor, Vardon, KC Johnson, S. Smith
LeBron: 73 total points
1st place: 1 (10 points)
2nd place: 1 (7 points) O'Connor
3rd place: 4 (20 points) Kyler, Vardon, KC Johnson, S. Smith
4th place: 12 (36 points) Broussard, Moore, Kevin Smith, Deveney, Sharp, Golliver, Aldridge, Lowe, Doug Smith, Stein, Flannery, Helin
Big shout out to The Dream Shake on twitter for doing most of the hard work. Here is his google doc that I am using, I also have a few other sources as well.