The 2023 NBA All-Star Game has finally arrived! With the league's brightest stars gathered in Salt Lake City, there are a number of worthy candidates who could take home the coveted All-Star Game Kobe Bryant MVP trophy. Below we continue our NBA odds series with a 2023 All-Star Game MVP prediction and pick.

There are a number of things you need to keep in mind if you're betting on the MVP of the All-Star Game. To begin with, Steph Curry is the reigning MVP but he will not be available due to an injury. With him out, there are just three former ASG MVPs who will be active on Sunday. LeBron James won three times, while Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kyrie Irving both have one under their belt.

Now, let's talk about trends in the last decade. Of the last ten winners, nine were starters. A reserve hasn't won the award since Russell Westbrook in 2015. Five winners were guards, although Steph was the first guard to win the award since 2016. Only Anthony Davis and Giannis were big men. Each of the past eight winners had averaged at least 24 points per game coming into the game. Additionally, the MVP has averaged 35 points per game. With that in mind, we're looking for a starter who averages at least 24 PPG and has the potential to lead the game in scoring.

Here are the top All-Star Game MVP odds, courtesy of FanDuel

NBA Odds: 2023 All-Star Game MVP

LeBron James: +550

Giannis Antetokounmpo: +650

Joel Embiid: +650

Damian Lillard: +750

Kyrie Irving: +750

Luka Doncic: +1000

Jayson Tatum: +1000

Ja Morant: +1110

Donovan Mitchell: +1400

Nikola Jokic: +1600

Anthony Edwards +2900

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The Favorites

FanDuel hit the nail on the coffin when they listed their top three contenders, as LeBron James (+550), Giannis Antetokounmpo (+650), and Joel Embiid (+650) are clearly the favorites to win MVP this year. All three players are starting the game and average over 30 points per game for the season. Additionally, all three have a track record of filling up the box score in the All-Star Game. LeBron and Giannis have already won the award, while Embiid dropped 36 points last year.

Narratively, there is certainly a case for each player. LeBron lives for this kind of event and the media mogul notably broke the all-time scoring record earlier this month. He's clearly still motivated to put on a show at the event as he scored 24 points in last year's game and returned from an injury just in time to play in the game without criticism. Coming into the game, LeBron averaged 30.0 PPG, 8.4 RPG, and 7.0 RPG.

Giannis, too, clearly takes the game seriously. After winning the MVP in 2021, he followed it up with 30 points last year. The Greek Freak could be motivated to bring some national attention back his direction as he holds the third-best regular season MVP odds despite putting up some of the best numbers of his career. For the season, Giannis averaged 31.8 PPG and 12.2 RPG.

As for Embiid, he could easily use this game to propel him toward the regular season MVP – although he is banged up and may not play. He is having an incredible season in his own right with an average of  33.1 PPG and 10.2 RPG.

The Dark Horses

Outside of the top three, there are two guys worth monitoring who fit the trends of recent winners. Kyrie Irving (+750) and Donovan Mitchell (+1400) are both starting and average over 27 points per game. Kyrie has proven his All-Star Game prowess as he won the award back in 2014. He's scored 20+ three times in his seven All-Star Game appearances. No one knows what goes on inside Kyrie's head but after numerous off-the-court issues and his recent trade, Irving could be motivated to put on a show. Coming into the game, Irving averaged 27.2 PPG and 5.4 APG.

As for Mitchell, he hasn't had the opportunity to show his chops in the event yet despite being voted in three previous times. He missed last year's event with an illness and was a reserve in his two other appearances. As a first-time starter, Mitchell could be highly motivated to show he belongs among the league's elite after a string of first-round playoff exits. Mitchell is having a career year after being traded to Cleveland as he averages 27.3 PPG and 3.6 threes per game.

The Long Shot

With +2900 odds, first-time All-Star Anthony Edwards is certainly a long shot to walk away with the MVP award. That being said, the injury replacement has already voiced his desire to win the award as he cited Westbrook's 2015 performance as a part of his reasoning. ANT would have to hunt shots and get hot early with minutes hard to come by but he certainly has the demeanor to get it done. The 21-year-old has broken out into a star in his third NBA season as he's averaging 24.7 PPG and recorded 18 30-point games.

Final 2023 All-Star Game MVP Prediction & Pick

My best bet would be for Giannis at +650 to bring home his second MVP award. Although, if you're looking for value I love Donovan Mitchell at +1400.

Final 2023 All-Star Game MVP Prediction & Pick: Giannis Antetokounmpo +650