LeBron claims he should have been the first unanimous MVP winner: "It was a writer from Boston, of course"

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2013 was a great year for LeBron James. The Miami Heat won a second straight NBA title that year, giving James ring No.2. King James also won his second consecutive MVP award and Finals MVP award that season, but according to King James, it could have been a much greater year.

During the MVP voting process, LeBron got 120 out of a possible 121 first-place votes and became one short of becoming the first unanimous MVP in NBA history. That distinction was later claimed by Steph Curry, who garnered all first-place votes during the 2015-16 season MVP voting.

According to LeBron, he could’ve been the first to accomplish that feat.

“I also had the opportunity to be, I would’ve been the first unanimous MVP where I got all 120 votes. But I got 119. There was one vote where he voted for Carmelo…The writer is from Boston, of course. I know his name too, but I ain’t going to give him that light light just yet, I’ll wait for the doc on that.” said LeBron during his recent appearance on The Shop podcast.

LeBron also said he should’ve won DPOY that same year

That same season, LeBron also complained that he should’ve won the Defensive Player of the Year award and the MVP trophy, but the media voted for Marc Gasol. Gasol ended up not getting named to the All-Defensive First team, and James said that continues to puzzle him up to this day and compared it to Beyonce not winning Album of the Year.

Back then, coaches voted for the All-Defensive teams, while the media voted for the DPOY award. After that controversy, the NBA changed its voting process by letting the media panel vote for both the DPOY and the All-Defensive Teams.

“I don’t know the answer. I don’t know what it should be, but why are they voting if they’re not watching the game? You’re not studying the game, you’re not listening to the peers of the game too, that’s telling you like he’s the best player, that’s the best album.” added LeBron.

No LeBron conspiracy

While LeBron refused to identify the Boston writer during his recent interview, it’s public knowledge that the writer was Boston Globe’s Gary Washburn. That same year, Washburn explained why he voted for Melo instead of LeBron while denying that there was a conspiracy to deny LeBron becoming the first unanimous MVP.

“I had no idea I would be the only voter to leave LeBron out of first,” Washburn wrote. “This isn’t Mrs. Wilson’s class, I don’t walk around asking fellow sportswriters their answers to the US History quiz. This isn’t the Best Player in the Game award; it’s the Most Valuable Player award, and I think what Anthony accomplished this season was worthy of my vote.”

2013 was the year when LeBron won his second NBA championship. But on a personal level, he felt that he did not get the individual recognition he deserved. First, he claims Marc Gasol ‘stole’ his only DPOY trophy. And now he says he was robbed of the honor of being the first unanimous MVP in NBA history.