It's been widely believed that OKC Thunder superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has had the MVP award all but wrapped up for nearly the entire season.
However, a recently surfaced soundbite has the basketball world wondering whether SGA is as unanimous a decision as many originally thought.
San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama reintroduced himself as a legitimate MVP threat -- not just with his play, but with his words.
The plan of attack is in sharp contrast to that of Gilgeous-Alexander, as he has notoriously stayed out of the spotlight when it comes to postgame interviews.
Widely known for shying away from drama and focusing on his game, Shai could soon see a dip in support for the award. The reigning MVP has said himself that none of his accomplishments would matter if his team isn't winning, and that has remained a priority throughout his tenure in OKC.
His unwavering humility, which has been considered one of his best attributes as a superstar, could prove to be his Achilles heel when voters make their decisions at the end of the year.
With other players like Jaylen Brown already vocalizing their own accomplishments, SGA's magical year could start to go underappreciated if more stars start campaigning for themselves.
Wemby beating the Thunder resonated more than anticipated
To make matters worse, Wemby's self-advocacy seems to be working, as various NBA pundits are eating his words right up.
Stephen A. Smith decided that the Frenchman's words were enough for him to jump on the bandwagon.
"Damnit, he changed my mind... I'll put him in the lead... Victor Wembanyama, before the NBA playoffs even begin - and NBA playoffs, by the way, that he has yet to participate in, in his career - and he looked into the microphone and into the camera and said, 'We dominated the defending champions...' What he's saying is, before the playoffs have even begun, 'OKC, I've kicked your a**,'" Smith emphatically said on an episode of ESPN's First Take.
Wembanyama clearly resonated with Stephen A. to the point that he, and presumably others, have been rethinking the entirety of the race.
The thought that NBA experts have overlooked a 7-foot-4 center who boasts dominant numbers on both sides of the ball is questionable in and of itself, but the fact that he has argued his way into their hearts makes the situation all the more peculiar.
Thunder have to hope that the award doesn't turn political
The Thunder faithful can only hope that the rest of the voters value more than just what a player says about himself. With Shai playing at a level the NBA hasn't seen since the likes of Jordan and Wilt, it will be nearly impossible to make a case against him that involves on-court performance.
Just this season, SGA has broken the single-season record for most consecutive 20-point games, has scored 25 points or more in 83.0 percent of his games, and is having the most efficient shooting season from a guard since Steph Curry's prime years.
Defensively, he is widely considered to be an above-average perimeter guard at worst. His defensive field goal percentage rivals that of other top perimeter defenders, and his defensive rating is better than the likes of Amen Thompson, Derrick White, and Scottie Barnes, players who are all in the top seven in the Defensive Player of the Year conversation.
As for Wembanyama's "we beat OKC" argument, time will tell how much the regular-season series between these two teams will matter. When push comes to shove, anybody can beat anybody before April, but the best players are at their most valuable come the postseason.