NBA MVP: Kobe Bryant Picks James Harden Over LeBron James

Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant believes Houston Rockets guard James Harden is deserving of the NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) award this season.

Harden emerged as the favorite to win the award for the first time in his career after leading the Rockets (65-17) to the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference above reigning champions Golden State Warriors.

In addition, his figures this season are also phenomenal as he leads the league in scoring with 30.4 points per game, is third with 8.8 assists per game and boasts an average of 5.4 rebounds.

Meanwhile, Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James is also a contender to win the award for the fifth time in his career as he registered one of the best individual seasons of his 15-year career averaging 27.5 points, 9.1 assists and 8.6 rebounds per game.

His performances are particularly noteworthy due to the circumstances the 2016 NBA champions have experienced this season with various injuries and the recent absence of head coach Tyronn Lue due to illness as they finished third in the Eastern Conference.

Those circumstances are also why James believes he should be awarded MVP due to his "body of work" as well as the fact that his performances are coming with him being 33 years of age.

But Bryant, who became MVP in 2008 and has two Finals MVPs in 2009 and 2010, will still choose Harden over the three-time NBA champion.

"I think James [Harden] has done so much all season long," Bryant told ESPN's Get Up. "For the last two years he has been playing phenomenally well and had it not been for Westbrook's historical run last year, he certainly would have won MVP last year."

"Which Russell [Westbrook], by the way, averaging another triple-double again this season but I think what James has done from Game 1 all the way through Game 82 deserves to be rewarded. I mean this guy has worked his butt off for the entire season and he's got his team to the place where they are now and I just don't know what there's left for him to do to," he added.

It's not the first time the 39-year-old has endorsed Harden. Last week, Bryant revealed his pick in an interview with USA Today and was more blunt with his reasoning.

"I really don't understand the debate about picking somebody else. I don't get it," Bryant said. "Like, what the hell does this guy have to do? I mean for the last three years, the guy has been absolutely lights out, and now you still want to sit here and debate who should be MVP when he leads the league in scoring, his assists numbers are off the charts, they have the best record in the league," Bryant said.

"If he doesn't win MVP this year, what the hell is he supposed to do to win MVP, average 40, 15 and 15? I mean, come on now. Enough is enough."