Top 5 early challengers for the Kia NBA MVP award in the 2021-2022 season

#3 Giannis Antetokounmpo

Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks celebrates during the second half in Game Three of the NBA Finals

Giannis Antetokounmpo won back-to-back Kia NBA MVP awards in the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons.

The Milwaukee Bucks forward is currently competing in the NBA Finals against the Phoenix Suns. He has a good chance of winning the NBA Finals MVP award if he succeeds in leading the Bucks to victory in the series.

With his stellar showing in the 2021 NBA playoffs, Giannis will undoubtedly maintain that energy throughout the 2021-22 season

This season, the 26-year-old missed his chance at becoming the third player in league history to win the NBA MVP award for three consecutive campaigns. However, he has the chance to clinch the award for the third time in his career next season.

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#2 Kevin Durant

Kevin Durant #7 of the Brooklyn Nets

Kevin Durant is one of the most lethal scorers in the NBA. He is almost always a contender for the Kia NBA MVP award.

Durant missed the entire 2019-20 season after suffering an injury in the 2019 NBA playoffs. Despite missing an entire season, the forward came back better and led the Brooklyn Nets to a deep run in the 2021 NBA playoffs.

.@betonline_ag 2021-22 #NBA regular season MVP odds:Kevin Durant 4/1Luka Doncic 9/2Giannis Antetokounmpo 15/2Stephen Curry 15/2Joel Embiid 8/1LeBron James 9/1Damian Lillard 10/1Nikola Jokic 12/1Trae Young 14/1Devin Booker 20/1James Harden 20/1Chris Paul 40/1 #Suns pic.twitter.com/tkeNUBMwYY

— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) July 16, 2021

Durant's case for the Kia NBA MVP award in the 2021-22 session is strong. Given how successful the Brooklyn Nets superteam was in their first year together, it is scary to imagine how dominant they might be when everyone is healthy.

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#1 Luka Doncic

Luka Doncic #77 of the Dallas Mavericks

Luka Doncic has grown immensely since joining the Dallas Mavericks in 2018 and is likely to be the face of the league for years to come. If he performs as well as he did during the 2021 NBA playoffs, there's no way he will not be the Kia NBA MVP for the 2021-22 season.

IT’S HAPPENING AGAIN!#Mavs' Luka Doncic Picked As 2022 NBA MVP Favorite https://t.co/sodO2L2DVX

— fishsports (@fishsports) July 15, 2021

Doncic averaged 35.7 points, 7.9 rebounds and 10.3 assists in seven games against the LA Clippers during the first round of the 2021 NBA playoffs. Despite his valiant effort, the Dallas Mavericks did not do enough as a team to qualify for the next round.

As things stand, Doncic is the top prospect to win the Kia NBA MVP award for the new season.