Photo: Nate Billings/AP Every MVP award takes us back to an era. Since 2000, we’ve seen legends rise in little time, dynasties cemented, archetypes we never dreamed of and stars rewriting the history books. From Allen Iverson dragging Philly to the top, to Derrick Rose becoming the youngest MVP ever, to Steph Curry changing basketball forever, to Nikola Jokic turning the center position into a cheat code, every MVP left a different impression. With Shai Gilgeous-Alexander sec

The NBA Draft is right around the corner, and following another MVP performance from Nikola Jokic, you have to wonder how important it really is to chase high picks when player development, smart scouting, and the right system can turn overlooked talent into the best player in the world. Jokic has set the blueprint for what a second rounder can do, but just how many great talents slid through the cracks on draft night because teams slept on them? Since 1947, every draft class

by Zak Drapeau and Joel Piton Sportz Nation - 4/24/2026 Photo Credit: Nico Martinez/FW The Western Conference is full of icons. From dynasties in Los Angeles and Golden State to individual legends who put smaller markets on the map, the West is loaded with names that shaped the game. In terms of impact, who affected the game, and the way fans remember a team, the West have the East beat. So after breaking down every Eastern Conference team’s Mount Rushmore, we’re shifting ove