This year’s Most Valuable Player race is close, complicated and divisive. The four main candidates are Houston Rockets guard James Harden, Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook, San Antonio Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard and Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James. On an appearance on the “Dan Patrick Show” this week, reigning two-time MVP Stephen Curry weighed in, picking Harden because of the Rockets’ record (via Clutch Points’ Ananth Pandian):

In Toronto on Thursday, a daring reporter sought Westbrook’s reaction. First, he asked Westbrook if he pays attention to what other players say about who could win MVP.

“I don’t,” Westbrook said.

The follow up: “Has anyone told you Curry shared his opinion that it should be Harden because of where the Rockets are in the standings?”

“I don’t care,” Westbrook said. “It don’t matter what he say. Who is he?”

Here’s the full exchange, via Sportsnet:

This is one of those things that is going to come off as way more disrespectful to Curry than it was supposed to be. Westbrook doesn’t care who Curry picked because he doesn’t care who anyone picked. If the Thunder star wins the award, he’ll express how thankful he is at the press conference and then move on. If he doesn’t, he’ll basically say it doesn’t matter -- the same way he talked about not starting in this year’s All-Star Game. He is the last person who is going to get caught up in this MVP race or what others have to say about it.