Charlotte Hornets as NBA MVP candidates? You bet

Do you like rooting for the Charlotte Hornets? Do you like betting on long shots?

The gambling website www.bovada.lv set odds on 39 candidates to be the NBA’s Most Valuable Player for the 2017-18 season. Not one, but two Hornets made that list of 39.

Point guard Kemba Walker was listed as a 150-to-1 shot, the eighth-highest odds among players listed. Center Dwight Howard, acquired from the Atlanta Hawks in the offseason, is listed as a 250-to-1 shot. Those are the highest odds listed, shared by five NBA players.

That Walker and Howard made this list at all is interesting. Walker made his first All-Star appearance last season. Howard is an eight-time All-Star. He finished second to then-Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose in MVP balloting (by media) for the 2010-11 season.

According to Bovada, Oklahoma City’s Russell Westbrook (7-to-2) is the favorite to win the MVP award. The next four: Golden State’s Kevin Durant (9-to-2), San Antonio’s Kawhi Leonard (13 to 2), Cleveland’s LeBron James (15-to-2) and Houston’s James Harden (8-to-1).

Players with area ties who made Bovada’s odds: Golden State’s Stephen Curry (Davidson) at 11-to-1. Houston’s Chris Paul (Wake Forest) at 25-to-1. Washington’s John Wall (Raleigh) at 33-to-1. Cleveland’s Kyrie Irving (Duke) at 50-to-1. Minnesota’s Jeff Teague (Wake Forest) at 250-to-1. Miami’s Hassan Whiteside (Gastonia) at 250-to-1.

This story was originally published August 16, 2017 at 10:10 PM with the headline "Charlotte Hornets as NBA MVP candidates? You bet."