🏆 MVP RACE: MIDSEASON UPDATE
The MVP race at midseason looks familiar, with last season’s top dogs back in the spotlight. Depending on which metric you squint at—game rating, efficiency, box scores, vibes—you can make a case for half a dozen dudes. But a few have separated from the pack.
Here’s how the leaderboard stacks up.
1. Chen Zigui — PF, Innovatus
Why he’s here: Because he’s breaking the game.
Zigui leads the league in efficiency (32.8 AE) and posts a ridiculous 42.9 E48M—the kind of number you only see when sliders are broken. Top-3 in boards (15.2), scores efficiently, and gives Innovatus its identity. Add elite game ratings (16.7 AR) and you’ve got the cleanest résumé in II.4.
Comp: Peak KG, if KG were doing this at 36 (he wasn’t).
2. Franco Pisano — PF, Wasco Tigers
Why he’s here: Because he’s a one-man ecosystem.
Pisano has the league’s best game rating (17.2 AR), is 3rd in efficiency (28.0), and posts nightly 20-and-15 chaos-calming lines for a volatile Wasco squad. He scores, rebounds, defends, and props up everything around him.
Comp: Amar’e Stoudemire with more rebounding.
3. Giulio Piccolo — SG, Delta 9
Why he’s here: Because he’s the two-way flamethrower on the league’s smoothest machine.
#2 in AR (17.0), the top SG in the Great 8, and the perimeter heartbeat of II.4’s nastiest defense. Efficient scoring+elite defensive impact=Delta 9’s title math.
The knock: Usage—he’s not a 25-ppg gunner…but then again, he doesn’t need to be.
Comp: Donte DiVincenzo with a streak of Bradley Beal.
4. Ross Pollock — SF, Meridian Hill
Why he’s here: He’s the stabilizer of II.4’s most disciplined roster.
#4 in efficiency (25.9 AE) while averaging a clean 17/10/6. He spaces (46% from deep), connects possessions, and anchors the smartest offense in the league. Not loud—but valuable.
Comp: Kirilenko with a pinch of Diaw.
5. Ruben Cisneros — SF, Wellington Warthogs
Why he’s here: Because Wellington needed a star to legitimize their rise.
Top-6 in efficiency (23.6), #2 in Great 8 voting, and the go-to scorer in every Warthogs surge. They don’t sniff second place without him.
Comp: James Worthy.
6. George Nash — PG, Meridian Hill
Why he’s here: He’s the metronome of the cleanest offense in the league.
Top-20 in rating, top-10 in assists, and boasting one of the league’s best AST/TO ratios, Nash keeps MHM humming like a 300k-mile minivan with zero warning lights.
Comp: Mike Conley
7. Dennis Lawson — C, Llama of Wall Street
Why he’s here: Llama wins when Lawson wins.
Lawson is top-10 in efficiency (23.3), top-12 in rebounds (12.1), and a consistent interior anchor for a team that desperately needs one.
Comp: Jonas Valančiūnas.
8. Emilian Siekierka — SG, New York Nugs
Why he’s here: Elite teams get extra looks.
#1 in Big 8 SG voting, #3 in league-wide AR (17.0), and hyper-efficient scoring for the conference’s top team. A two-way anchor with real star-level nights.
Comp: Klay Thompson with more playmaking.
🏆 FINAL VERDICT: MVP TIERS
TIER 1 — The 2-Man Race
• Chen Zigui — Innovatus
• Franco Pisano — Wasco Tigers
The numbers, the consistency, the carry jobs—this is the real showdown.
TIER 2 — The Dark Horses
• Giulio Piccolo — Delta 9
• Ross Pollock — Meridian Hill
Piccolo has the “best team, best guard” case. Pollock has the “irreplaceable engine” case.
TIER 3 — The Don’t-Sleep-on-Them Crew
• Ruben Cisneros — Wellington
• George Nash — Meridian Hill
Not loud enough to win it, but essential enough to matter deeply.
TIER 4 — The Anchors & Specialists
• Dennis Lawson — Llama of Wall Street
• Emilian Siekierka — New York Nugs