Early in the season, Paul George of the Oklahoma City Thunder was one of the leading NBA MVP candidates. In a recent interview, the star forward shared what he believes are the traits of an MVP.

Speaking with Sekou Smith on the Hang Time Podcast, George believes an MVP doesn't dominate one statistical category or post the most triple-doubles. It is something beyond raw numbers, viewed in a larger context.

“The guy that’s out there doing whatever his team needs to win – if that’s to score points, then that’s what he has to do. if it’s to play two ways, that’s what he has to do.

If it’s to connect the whole team and do it on a winning level, then that.”

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For the season, Paul George is averaging 28 points per game, 8.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 2.2 steals, all of which are career-high marks. His stellar play led some analysts to tag him as an MVP candidate early in this regular season.

However, toward the tail-end of the regular season, the Thunder noticeably faltered. They were once one of the top five teams in the West, but now, with four games left, they're in seventh place and may even go down to eighth. This effectively booted George out of the MVP discussion.

Despite this, one cannot conclude that George's season has been a waste. He has already been identified as one of the NBA's elite players. This season, he proved that he still has lots to offer. He also knows that the regular season is vastly different from playoff ball.