Kobe Bryant picks James Harden to win 2018 NBA MVP

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Los Angeles, April 18: As a former NBA MVP, Kobe Bryant knows a thing or two about the award.

During a Tuesday interview on ESPN's Get Up, Bryant weighed in on the 2018 MVP debate between James Harden and LeBron James before picking the Houston Rockets star to take the honour.

"I think James [Harden] has done so much, all season long. And for the last two years he's been playing phenomenally well," Bryant said.

"Had it not been for [Russell] Westbrook's historical run last year, he certainly would have won MVP last year.

"I think what James has done from Game 1 all the way through Game 82 deserves to be rewarded. I mean, this guy's worked his butt off for the entire season and has gotten his team to the place they are now.

"I just don't know what there is left for him to do to be MVP."

Harden finished second in the voting behind Westbrook last year while this season he has led the league with 30.4 points per game and ranked third with 8.8 assists per contest.

On the other hand, James is looking to tie Michael Jordan by earning his fifth NBA MVP after playing all 82 games with the Cleveland Cavaliers for the first time this season.

Bryant, who retired in 2016 after spending his entire 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers, earned the NBA MVP in 2008 and back-to-back NBA Finals MVPs in the subsequent two years during his illustrious stint in LA.

The league will reveal all of this season's biggest winners at the 2018 NBA Awards on June 25.

Source: OPTA