The odds for next season's MVP winner was released earlier this week with current holder Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant being named as the top two favourites. The figures were released by Las Vegas-based sports betting website Bovada and it put Westbrook as the 7/2 favourite and KD slightly behind at 9/2.The top five was completed by Kawhi Leonard, LeBron James and James Harden in what will prove to be one of the fiercest battles for the league's top individual honour next year.One player not on the list at all, however, was Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert. With players such as Ben Simmons, Andrew Wiggins, Bradley Beal and Nikola Jokic on the list, it does come as a surprise that he was left out. The Frenchman is coming off the best season of his career where he averaged 14.0 points, 12.8 rebounds and a league-leading 2.6 blocks per game.After establishing himself as one of the elite defensive anchors in the game, Gobert developed his all-round game significantly last year and became a force on both ends of the floor. His stellar campaign saw him named to both the All-NBA Second Team and All-Defensive First Team.The Jazz pivot not making the list was something that particularly baffled Bleacher Report's Andy Bailey who tweeted: "@rudygobert27 not being on these lists is absurd. He was 2nd in Win Shares last season. Not Defensive Win Shares. TOTAL WIN SHARES."

The Stifle Tower decided to weigh in on the matter himself and voiced his displeasure, saying: "Beating the odds is what I do for a living."

His influence on Utah was evident in the last campaign which saw them finish with an impressive 51-31 record. 

They were also third in defensive efficiency, largely due to his outstanding work on that end of the court.  

After coming from France and being drafted 27th overall in 2013, Gobert has become the player he is by playing with a chip on his shoulder. 

The 25-year-old will have a larger role to play in Salt Lake City next year after the departure of Gordon Hayward to the Boston Celtics. 

He will become more of a focal point for the team and carry more of an offensive burden as well as continuing to do what he does best defensively.

If he does that and leads Utah to the playoffs in a stacked Western Conference, there's no doubt his name will belong in the MVP conversation.