These would have been the MVP winners if you could only receive the award once
There are many NBA players with multiple MVP awards, including Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who won six such accolades in his career, the most of any player ever. His lead there should be pretty safe, too, especially as LeBron James’ career continues to wind down. James has four in his own right.
But what if NBA players could only win the award once in their careers, as is the case with, for example, writers and the Literature Nobel prize.
We went back in time and looked up the MVP vote through the years to find out.
Check out the results below.
1955-56: Bob Pettit
Finished first in the MVP vote
1956-57: Bob Cousy
Finished first in the MVP vote
1957-58: Bill Russell
Finished first in the MVP vote
1958-59: Elgin Baylor
Finished third in the MVP vote after Bob Pettit and Bill Russell
1959-60: Wilt Chamberlain
Finished first in the MVP vote
1960-61: Oscar Robertson
Finished fifth in the MVP vote after Bill Russell, Bob Pettit, Elgin Baylor and Wilt Chamberlain
1961-62: Jerry West
Finished fifth in the MVP vote after Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Oscar Robertson and Elgin Baylor
1962-63: Red Kerr
Finished in the MVP vote sixth after Bill Russell, Elgin Baylor, Oscar Robertson, Bob Pettit and Jerry West
1963-64: Hal Greer or Gus Johnson
Finished sixth in the MVP vote after Oscar Robertson, Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, Bob Pettit and Jerry West
1964-65: Sam Jones
Finished fourth in the MVP vote after Bill Russell, Oscar Robertson and Jerry West
1965-66: Jerry Lucas
Finished fifth in the MVP vote after Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West, Oscar Robertson and Bill Russell
1966-67: Nate Thurmond
Finished in the MVP vote second after Wilt Chamberlain
1967-68: Lenny Wilkens
Finished second in the MVP vote after Wilt Chamberlain
1968-69: Wes Unseld
Finished first in the MVP vote
1969-70: Willis Reed
Finished first in the MVP vote
1970-71: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Finished first in the MVP vote
1971-72: John Havlicek
Finished fourth in the MVP vote after Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jerry West and Wilt Chamberlain
1972-73: Dave Cowens
Finished first in the MVP vote
1973-74: Bob McAdoo
Finished second in the MVP vote after Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
1974-75: Elvin Hayes
Finished third in the MVP vote after Bob McAdoo and Dave Cowens
1975-76: Rick Barry
Finished fourth in the MVP vote after Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bob McAdoo and Dave Cowens
1976-77: Bill Walton
Finished second in the MVP vote after Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
1977-78: George Gervin
Finished second in the MVP vote after Bill Walton
1978-79: Moses Malone
Finished first in the MVP vote
1979-80: Julius Erving
Finished second in the MVP vote after Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
1980-81: Larry Bird
Finished second in the MVP vote after Julius Erving
1981-82: Robert Parish
Finished fourth in the MVP vote after Moses Malone, Larry Bird and Julius Erving
1982-83: Magic Johnson
Finished third in the MVP vote after Moses Malone and Larry Bird
1983-84: Bernard King
Finished second in the MVP vote after Larry Bird
1984-85: Terry Cummings
Finished fifth in the MVP vote after Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Moses Malone and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
1985-86: Dominique Wilkins
Finished second in the MVP vote after Larry Bird
1986-87: Michael Jordan
Finished second in the MVP vote after Magic Johnson
1987-88: Charles Barkley
Finished fourth in the MVP vote after Michael Jordan, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson
1988-89: Karl Malone
Finished third in the MVP vote after Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan
1989-90: Patrick Ewing
Finished fifth in the MVP vote after Magic Johnson, Charles Barkley, Michael Jordan and Karl Malone
1990-91: David Robinson
Finished third in the MVP vote after Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson
1991-92: Clyde Drexler
Finished second in the MVP vote after Michael Jordan
1992-93: Hakeem Olajuwon
Finished second in the MVP vote after Charles Barkley
1993-94: Scottie Pippen
Finished third in the MVP vote after Hakeem Olajuwon and David Robinson
1994-95: Shaquille O'Neal
Finished second in the MVP vote after David Robinson
1995-96: Anfernee Hardaway
Finished third in the MVP vote after Michael Jordan and David Robinson
1996-97: Grant Hill
Finished third in the MVP vote after Karl Malone and Michael Jordan
1997-98: Gary Payton
Finished third in the MVP vote after Michael Jordan and Karl Malone
1998-99: Alonzo Mourning
Finished second in the MVP vote after Karl Malone
1999-00: Kevin Garnett
Finished second in the MVP vote after Shaquille O’Neal
2000-01: Allen Iverson
Finished first in the MVP vote
2001-02: Tim Duncan
Finished first in the MVP vote
2002-03: Kobe Bryant
Finished third in the MVP vote after Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett
2003-04: Jermaine O'Neal
Finished third in the MVP vote after Kevin Garnett and Tim Duncan
2004-05: Steve Nash
Finished first in the MVP vote
2005-06: LeBron James
Finished second in the MVP vote after Steve Nash
2006-07: Dirk Nowitzki
Finished first in the MVP vote
2007-08: Chris Paul
Finished second in the MVP vote after Kobe Bryant
2008-09: Dwyane Wade
Finished third in the MVP vote after LeBron James and Kobe Bryant
2009-10: Kevin Durant
Finished second in the MVP vote after LeBron James
2010-11: Derrick Rose
Finished first in the MVP vote
2011-12: Tony Parker
Finished fifth in the MVP vote after LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Chris Paul and Kobe Bryant
2012-13: Carmelo Anthony
Finished third in the MVP vote after LeBron James and Kevin Durant
2013-14: Blake Griffin
Finished third in the MVP vote after Kevin Durant and LeBron James
2014-15: Stephen Curry
Finished first in the MVP vote
2015-16: Kawhi Leonard
Finished second in the MVP vote after Stephen Curry
2016-17: Russell Westbrook
Finished first in the MVP vote
2017-18: James Harden
Finished first in the MVP vote
2018-19: Giannis Antetokounmpo
Finished first in the MVP vote
2019-20: Luka Doncic
Finished fourth in the MVP vote after Giannis Antetokounmpo, LeBron James and James Harden
2020-21: Nikola Jokic
Finished first in the MVP vote
2021-22: Joel Embiid
Finished second in the MVP vote after Nikola Jokic
2022-23: Jayson Tatum
Finished fourth in the MVP vote after Joel Embiid, Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo
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