When Victor Wembanyama’s public desires to win NBA MVP this season were discussed on Tuesday’s edition of Pardon The Interruption, legendary cohosts Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon agreed on one thing first and foremost:

He’s not, in their mind, the current leader in the clubhouse.

While both agreed that he could get there over the next few weeks, the long-running ESPN duo invoked Jaylen Brown as the player they’d give their first place vote to at the time of taping.

Wilbon actually has a vote, while Kornheiser does not. With that said, both throwing Brown’s name into the ring with such large national megaphones can do nothing but help the case for the 2024 NBA Finals MVP in his quest for a first-career Most Valuable Player Award - an honor not won by a Celtic since Larry Bird in 1986.

Here’s word-for-word what Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon had to say about Jaylen Brown being their MVP-favorite throw 71 games played:

Tony Kornheiser: “Victor Wembanyama says he wants to win the MVP this season. Do you believe that he will?”

Michael Wilbon: “No. I have a vote in this, and I will tell you that it's tightened up. My vote, and I'm not even sure the order, I think is Jaylen Brown one, I think it's [Shai Gilgeous-Alexander] two, and I think it's Victor three. And then don't talk to me about a guy who plays half the court, Luka Doncic.”

TK: “I know you hate him. It's OK. You hate him.”

MW: “Luka Doncic is a wizard. He's a magician.”

TK: “Well, don't put him on the Wizards, because -”

MW: “Why not? You think he’s the greatest thing in history of the world.”

TK: “But his career will go straight south on the Wizards.”

MW: “So anyway, those are my top three. If Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs somehow catch OKC for first place in the West, I will cast a vote. It's a regular season award for Victor Wembanyama - who isn't just the face of the NBA, he's the face of worldwide basketball, which is a good thing for basketball. And Jaylen Brown - who you were early on - right now, Jaylen Brown may be leaning at the tape. You know what I mean? So that's where I am.”

TK: “I will say this: if I had a vote - and I don't - if I had to vote today, I would vote for Jaylen.”

MW: “But you know it could change in a week?”

TK: “Yes, because Jaylen Brown has been so resolute and dependable in the absence of Jayson Tatum. And Boston is in second place in the east, and San Antonio is in second place in the West. But what Wembanyama has been doing lately is kind of, sort of amazing. Since February 1, that team is 22-2. That's the best record in the NBA. Wembanyama is averaging more than 24 points, more than 11 rebounds, and more than 3.5 blocks. And the blocks are the critical thing. Because you can see it on the faces of other players. They're afraid to go into the middle, because the thing is gonna get swatted away.”

MW: “He’s dissuading another four, five shots a game.”

TK: “So, I mean - the amazing thing to me is, Wembanyama is saying publicly, ‘I want to win this award.’ Nobody says that. They may think it, but nobody says it. He says it, and I find it charming, and I will tell you that I could be persuaded, because I think the numbers are there. I'm still in the Jaylen Brown camp, but the numbers -”

MW: “This is fluid.”

TK: “Yes, yes!”

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Tom Carroll is a contributor for Roundtable, with boots-on-the-ground coverage of all things Boston sports. He's a senior digital content producer for WEEI.com, and a native of Lincoln, RI.