5 dark horses to win the Kia NBA MVP Award for the 2021-22 NBA season

#3 Bam Adebayo

Bam Adebayo awarded an 2020 Olympic Gold medal

Miami Heat's acquisition of Kyle Lowry this offseason could very well catapult them to compete for the top spot in the Eastern Conference, especially if Victor Oladipo starts to return to form. While Jimmy Butler is labeled the leader of that team, Bam Adebayo might be their best player.

Bam's defensive presence is apparent on a consistent basis, and he should have been considered for Defensive Player of the Year last season. I would expect a similar production on that end of the floor in 2021-22, and at 24 years old a jump in his offensive numbers may come.

His MVP argument would likely have to revolve around him being the best player on the best team in the league record wise. His counting stats would need to make a notable jump, but 18 points and nine rebounds a game last season is a promising starting point.

---

#2 Bradley Beal

Bradley Beal - Play-In Tournament v Indiana Pacers

Team success has been the only thing holding Bradley Beal back from being mentioned in the MVP conversation throughout the last few seasons. Beal trailed only Steph Curry in total points per game last season, with an average of 31.3 a night.

31 points is a career-high for a good number of NBA players, and Beal has shown the ability to do that on a nightly basis while remaining efficient.

In order for Beal to be mentioned in the MVP conversation, the Wizards would likely need to finish in the top half of the Eastern Conference. While that is not likely, the addition of Spencer Dinwiddie would be ideal for complimenting Beal and becoming competent on defense as a team.

Internal improvements could appear in Rui Hachimura, Deni Avdija, and the return of Thomas Bryant. Adding former Los Angeles Lakers' Kyle Kuzma and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope may help with Washington's depth.

Bradley Beal already has the numbers, but if his team can step up and have more success he will have serious consideration for the MVP award.

---

#1 Donovan Mitchell

Donovan Mitchell v Los Angeles Clippers - Game Five

While the Utah Jazz were a rare case of having six players average over double digits last season, Mitchell was at the top. He tallied 26.4 points per night while shooting 43.8 percent from the field and 38.6 percent from three.

If the Jazz can continue their regular-season success, it would be hard not to at least consider Mitchell for MVP. Utah finished with the best record in the Western Conference last season, with Mitchell leading the pack.

Improved efficiency, specifically finishing at the rim where he converted 45 percent of his attempts last season, would be a notable jump for Mitchell and add to his already impressive scoring total.

It also helps that he is bound to have a few highlight moments. As I said with Bam, the best player on the best team is always involved in the MVP conversation, and Donovan Mitchell and the Utah Jazz may meet those requirements in 2021-22.