NBA Most Valuable Player

The NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) award given since the 1955–56 season to the best performing player of the regular season. Since the 2022–23 season, winners receive the Michael Jordan Trophy, named after the five-time MVP.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Prior to 2021, the winner received the Maurice Podoloff Trophy, which was named in honor of the first commissioner (then president)Template:Efn of the NBA, who served from 1946 until 1963. With the switch to the Michael Jordan Trophy, his name was moved to a new Maurice Podoloff Trophy given to the team with the best regular season record.<ref name="NBApodoloff">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Until the Template:Nbay, the MVP was selected by a vote of NBA players. Since the Template:Nbay, the award is decided by a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada. Each member of the voting panel casts a vote for first to fifth place selections. Each first-place vote is worth 10 points; each second-place vote is worth seven; each third-place vote is worth five, fourth-place is worth three and fifth-place is worth one. Starting from 2010, one ballot was cast by fans through online voting. The player with the highest point total wins the award.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> As of the Template:Nbay, the current holder of the award is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Every player who has won this award and deemed eligible for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame has been inducted. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar won the award a record six times.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He is also the only player to win the award despite his team not making the playoffs, in the Template:Nbay. Both Bill Russell and Michael Jordan won the award five times,<ref name="MVP">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> while Wilt Chamberlain and LeBron James won the award four times. Russell and James are the only players to have won the award four times in five seasons.<ref name="unanimous" /> Moses Malone, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson and Nikola Jokić each won the award three times, while Bob Pettit, Karl Malone, Tim Duncan, Steve Nash, Stephen Curry and Giannis Antetokounmpo won it twice.<ref name="MVP" /> Russell, Chamberlain, and Bird are the only players to win the award in three consecutive years. Only two rookies have won the award: Chamberlain (Template:Nbay) and Wes Unseld (1968–69).<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Eight players who won MVP (combining for twelve total awards) are considered "international players" by the NBA: Hakeem Olajuwon of Nigeria,<ref group="lower-alpha" name="note_b">Hakeem Olajuwon was born in Nigeria, but became a naturalized United States citizen in 1993. He was the first ever international player to win the award.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref></ref> Duncan of the U.S. Virgin Islands,<ref group="lower-alpha" name="note_c">Although Duncan was born in the U.S. Virgin Islands and is a United States citizen,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> the NBA considers him an international player.<ref name="intlnba">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref></ref> Nash of Canada,<ref group="lower-alpha" name="note_d">Steve Nash, who was born in South Africa, was raised in Canada.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref></ref> Dirk Nowitzki of Germany, Antetokounmpo of Greece, Nikola Jokić of Serbia, Joel Embiid of Cameroon, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of Canada.<ref group="lower-alpha" name="note_e">Joel Embiid was born in Cameroon, but became a naturalized United States citizen in 2022.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref></ref><ref name="intlnba" />

Stephen Curry (2015–16) is the only player to have won the award unanimously. Shaquille O'Neal (1999–2000) and LeBron James (2012–13) are the only two players to have fallen one vote shy of a unanimous selection, both receiving 120 of 121 votes.<ref group="lower-alpha">Allen Iverson received the only other first-place vote in 2000, while Carmelo Anthony received the only other first-place vote in 2013.<ref name="unanimous">Template:Cite news</ref></ref><ref name="unanimous" /> Since the Template:Nbay, only three players have been named MVP for a season in which their team failed to win at least 50 regular season games—Moses Malone (twice, Template:Nbay and Template:Nbay), Russell Westbrook (Template:Nbay) and Nikola Jokić (Template:Nbay).<ref group=lower-alpha>Except for seasons affected by lockouts and COVID-19, when the schedule was shortened from the norm of 82 games. Karl Malone won in 1998–99 when Utah was 37–13 in 50 games, which projected to 60 wins in 82 games. James won in 2011–12 when the Miami Heat were 46–20 in 66 games, which projected to 57 wins. Nikola Jokić won in 2020–21 when Denver was 47–25 in 72 games, which projected to 54 wins in 82 games.</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

As part of efforts to reduce load management for star players in the league, effective with the 2023–24 season, when a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) between the league and its players' union took effect, players must appear in at least 65 games to be eligible for most regular-season awards and honors, including MVP. To receive credit for a game for purposes of award eligibility, a player must have been credited with at least 20 minutes played. However, two "near misses", in which the player appeared for 15 to 19 minutes, can be included in the 65-game count. Protections also exist for players who suffer season-ending injuries, who are eligible with 62 credited games, and those affected by what the CBA calls "bad faith circumstances".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }} The games played requirement specifically applies to the MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, and Most Improved Player awards, as well as the All-NBA and All-Defensive Teams.</ref>

Winners

File:Wilt Chamberlain Bill Russell (lighting fixed).jpg

Bill Russell (left) won the award five times in his NBA career. Wilt Chamberlain (center) won the award four times in his career.

File:Bob Pettit 1961.jpeg

Bob Pettit was the first player to win multiple MVP awards.

File:Kareem-Abdul-Jabbar Lipofsky.jpg

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar won the award a record-setting six times in his career.

File:Larry Bird Lipofsky.jpg

Larry Bird was the last player to win the award in three consecutive years.

File:Hakeemsigningautocropped.jpg

Hakeem Olajuwon is one of three players to win the NBA MVP and the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award in the same season.

File:Jordan by Lipofsky 16577.jpg

Michael Jordan won the NBA MVP five times.

File:Derrick Rose 2.jpg

Derrick Rose became the youngest player to ever win the award at age 22.

File:LeBron James (15662939969).jpg

LeBron James is a four-time NBA MVP.

File:Stephen Curry dribbling 2016 (cropped).jpg

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File:Giannis Antetokounmpo (39004611954).jpg

Giannis Antetokounmpo won back-to-back MVP awards in 2018–19 and 2019–20.

File:Nikola Jokic free throw (cropped).jpg

Nikola Jokić won three MVP awards in 2020–21, 2021–22, and 2023–24. He became one of only two players to be selected in the second round of the NBA draft to win the award.

^	Denotes player who is still active in the NBA
*	Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
†	Not yet eligible for Hall of Fame considerationTemplate:Efn
Template:Dagger	Denotes player whose team won championship that year
Player (#)	Denotes the number of times the player had been named MVP at that time
Team (#)	Denotes the number of times a player from this team had won at that time

Season	Player	Position	Nationality	Team
Template:Nbay	Template:Sortname*	Power forward	Template:Flag	St. Louis Hawks
Template:Nowrap	Template:Sortname*	Point guard	Template:Flagu	Boston Celtics
Template:Nbay	Template:Sortname*	Center	Template:Flagu	Boston Celtics (2)
Template:Nbay	Template:Sortname* (2)	Power forward	Template:Flagu	St. Louis Hawks (2)
Template:Nbay	Template:Sortname*	Center	Template:Flagu	Philadelphia Warriors
Template:Nbay Template:Dagger	Template:Sortname* (2)	Center	Template:Flagu	Boston Celtics (3)
Template:Nbay Template:Dagger	Template:Sortname* (3)	Center	Template:Flagu	Boston Celtics (4)
Template:Nbay Template:Dagger	Template:Sortname* (4)	Center	Template:Flagu	Boston Celtics (5)
Template:Nbay	Template:Sortname*	Point guard	Template:Flagu	Cincinnati Royals
Template:Nbay Template:Dagger	Template:Sortname* (5)	Center	Template:Flagu	Boston Celtics (6)
Template:Nbay	Template:Sortname* (2)	Center	Template:Flagu	Philadelphia 76ers
Template:Nbay Template:Dagger	Template:Sortname* (3)	Center	Template:Flagu	Philadelphia 76ers (2)
Template:Nbay	Template:Sortname* (4)	Center	Template:Flagu	Philadelphia 76ers (3)
Template:Nbay	Template:Sortname*	Center	Template:Flagu	Baltimore Bullets
Template:Nbay Template:Dagger	Template:Sortname*	Center	Template:Flagu	New York Knicks
Template:Nbay Template:Dagger	Template:Sortname*<ref group="lower-alpha" name="note_h">Before the 1971–72 season, Lew Alcindor changed his name to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref></ref>	Center	Template:Flagu	Milwaukee Bucks
Template:Nbay	Template:Sortname*<ref group=lower-alpha name=note_h /> (2)	Center	Template:Flagu	Milwaukee Bucks (2)
Template:Nbay	Template:Sortname*	Center	Template:Flagu	Boston Celtics (7)
Template:Nbay	Template:Sortname*<ref group=lower-alpha name=note_h /> (3)	Center	Template:Flagu	Milwaukee Bucks (3)
Template:Nbay	Template:Sortname*	Center	Template:Flagu	Buffalo Braves
Template:Nbay	Template:Sortname*<ref group=lower-alpha name=note_h /> (4)	Center	Template:Flagu	Los Angeles Lakers
Template:Nbay	Template:Sortname*<ref group=lower-alpha name=note_h /> (5)	Center	Template:Flagu	Los Angeles Lakers (2)
Template:Nbay	Template:Sortname*	Center	Template:Flagu	Portland Trail Blazers
Template:Nbay	Template:Sortname*	Center	Template:Flagu	Houston Rockets
Template:Nbay Template:Dagger	Template:Sortname*<ref group=lower-alpha name=note_h /> (6)	Center	Template:Flagu	Los Angeles Lakers (3)
Template:Nbay	Template:Sortname*	Small forward	Template:Flagu	Philadelphia 76ers (4)
Template:Nbay	Template:Sortname* (2)	Center	Template:Flagu	Houston Rockets (2)
Template:Nbay Template:Dagger	Template:Sortname* (3)	Center	Template:Flagu	Philadelphia 76ers (5)
Template:Nbay Template:Dagger	Template:Sortname*	Small forward	Template:Flagu	Boston Celtics (8)
Template:Nbay	Template:Sortname* (2)	Small forward	Template:Flagu	Boston Celtics (9)
Template:Nbay Template:Dagger	Template:Sortname* (3)	Small forward	Template:Flagu	Template:Sort
Template:Nbay Template:Dagger	Template:Sortname*	Point guard	Template:Flagu	Los Angeles Lakers (4)
Template:Nbay	Template:Sortname*	Shooting guard	Template:Flagu	Chicago Bulls
Template:Nbay	Template:Sortname* (2)	Point guard	Template:Flagu	Los Angeles Lakers (5)
Template:Nbay	Template:Sortname* (3)	Point guard	Template:Flagu	Los Angeles Lakers (6)
Template:Nbay Template:Dagger	Template:Sortname* (2)	Shooting guard	Template:Flagu	Chicago Bulls (2)
Template:Nbay Template:Dagger	Template:Sortname* (3)	Shooting guard	Template:Flagu	Chicago Bulls (3)
Template:Nbay	Template:Sortname*	Power forward	Template:Flagu	Phoenix Suns
Template:Nbay Template:Dagger	Template:Sortname*	Center	Template:NGR<ref group=lower-alpha name=note_b />	Houston Rockets (3)
Template:Nbay	Template:Sortname*	Center	Template:Flagu	San Antonio Spurs
Template:Nbay Template:Dagger	Template:Sortname* (4)	Shooting guard	Template:Flagu	Chicago Bulls (4)
Template:Nbay	Template:Sortname*	Power forward	Template:Flagu	Utah Jazz
Template:Nbay Template:Dagger	Template:Sortname* (5)	Shooting guard	Template:Flagu	Chicago Bulls (5)
Template:Nbay	Template:Sortname* (2)<ref group="lower-alpha">Malone, at 35 years and 284 days old at the end of the regular season, is the oldest MVP in NBA history.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref></ref>	Power forward	Template:Flagu	Utah Jazz (2)
Template:Nbay Template:Dagger	Template:Sortname*	Center	Template:Flagu	Los Angeles Lakers (7)
Template:Nbay	Template:Sortname*	Shooting guard	Template:Flagu	Philadelphia 76ers (6)
Template:Nbay	Template:Sortname*	Power forward	Template:Flagu<ref group=lower-alpha name=note_c />	San Antonio Spurs (2)
Template:Nbay Template:Dagger	Template:Sortname* (2)	Power forward	Template:Flagu<ref group=lower-alpha name=note_c />	San Antonio Spurs (3)
Template:Nbay	Template:Sortname*	Power forward	Template:Flagu	Minnesota Timberwolves
Template:Nbay	Template:Sortname*	Point guard	Template:CAN<ref group=lower-alpha name=note_d />	Phoenix Suns (2)
Template:Nbay	Template:Sortname* (2)	Point guard	Template:Flagu<ref group=lower-alpha name=note_d />	Phoenix Suns (3)
Template:Nbay	Template:Sortname*	Power forward	Template:GER	Dallas Mavericks
Template:Nbay	Template:Sortname*	Shooting guard	Template:Flagu	Los Angeles Lakers (8)
Template:Nbay	Template:Sortname^	Small forward	Template:Flagu	Cleveland Cavaliers
Template:Nbay	Template:Sortname^ (2)	Small forward	Template:Flagu	Cleveland Cavaliers (2)
Template:Nbay	Template:Sortname†<ref group="lower-alpha">Rose, at 22 years and 191 days old at the end of the regular season, is the youngest MVP in NBA history.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref></ref>	Point guard	Template:Flagu	Chicago Bulls (6)
Template:Nbay Template:Dagger	Template:Sortname^ (3)	Small forward	Template:Flagu	Miami Heat
Template:Nbay Template:Dagger	Template:Sortname^ (4)	Small forward	Template:Flagu	Miami Heat (2)
Template:Nbay	Template:Sortname^	Small forward	Template:Flagu	Oklahoma City Thunder
Template:Nbay Template:Dagger	Template:Sortname^	Point guard	Template:Flagu	Golden State Warriors (2)
Template:Nbay	Template:Sortname^ (2)	Point guard	Template:Flagu	Golden State Warriors (3)
Template:Nbay	Template:Sortname^	Point guard	Template:Flagu	Oklahoma City Thunder (2)
Template:Nbay	Template:Sortname^	Shooting guard	Template:Flagu	Houston Rockets (4)
Template:Nbay	Template:Sortname^	Power forward	Template:GRE	Milwaukee Bucks (4)
Template:Nbay	Template:Sortname^ (2)	Power forward	Template:Flagu	Milwaukee Bucks (5)
Template:Nbay	Template:Sortname^	Center	Template:SRB	Denver Nuggets
Template:Nbay	Template:Sortname^ (2)	Center	Template:Flagu	Denver Nuggets (2)
Template:Nbay	Template:Sortname^	Center	Template:CMR<ref group=lower-alpha name=note_e />	Philadelphia 76ers (7)
Template:Nbay	Template:Sortname^ (3)	Center	Template:Flagu	Denver Nuggets (3)
Template:Nbay	Template:Sortname^	Point guard	Template:Flagu	Oklahoma City Thunder (3)

Multiple-time winners

Awards	Player	Team(s)	Years
6	Template:Flagicon Template:Sortname	Milwaukee Bucks (3) / Los Angeles Lakers (3)	Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay
5	Template:Flagicon Template:Sortname	Chicago Bulls	Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay
	Template:Flagicon Template:Sortname	Boston Celtics	Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay
4	Template:Flagicon Template:Sortname	Philadelphia Warriors (1) / Philadelphia 76ers (3)	Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay
	Template:Flagicon Template:Sortname	Cleveland Cavaliers (2) / Miami Heat (2)	Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay
3	Template:Flagicon Template:Sortname	Boston Celtics	Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay
	Template:Flagicon Template:Sortname	Los Angeles Lakers	Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay
	Template:Flagicon Template:Sortname	Denver Nuggets	Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay
	Template:Flagicon Template:Sortname	Houston Rockets (2) / Philadelphia 76ers (1)	Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay
2	Template:Flagicon Template:Sortname	Milwaukee Bucks	Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay
	Template:Flagicon Template:Sortname	Golden State Warriors	Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay
	Template:Flagicon Template:Sortname	San Antonio Spurs	Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay
	Template:Flagicon Template:Sortname	Utah Jazz	Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay
	Template:Flagicon Template:Sortname	Phoenix Suns	Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay
	Template:Flagicon Template:Sortname	St. Louis Hawks	Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay

Teams

Awards	Teams	Years
10	Boston Celtics	Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay
8	Los Angeles Lakers	Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay
7	Philadelphia 76ers	Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay
6	Chicago Bulls	Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay
5	Milwaukee Bucks	Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay
4	Houston Rockets	Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay
3	Denver Nuggets	Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay
	Philadelphia / Golden State Warriors	Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay
	Oklahoma City Thunder	Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay
	Phoenix Suns	Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay
	San Antonio Spurs	Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay
2	St. Louis Hawks (now Atlanta Hawks)	Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay
	Cleveland Cavaliers	Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay
	Miami Heat	Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay
	Utah Jazz	Template:Nbay, Template:Nbay
1	Baltimore Bullets (now Washington Wizards)	Template:Nbay
	Buffalo Braves (now Los Angeles Clippers)	Template:Nbay
	Cincinnati Royals (now Sacramento Kings)	Template:Nbay
	Dallas Mavericks	Template:Nbay
	Minnesota Timberwolves	Template:Nbay
	New York Knicks	Template:Nbay
	Portland Trail Blazers	Template:Nbay
0	Brooklyn Nets	None
	Charlotte Hornets
	Detroit Pistons
	Indiana Pacers
	Memphis Grizzlies
	New Orleans Pelicans
	Orlando Magic
	Toronto Raptors

See also

• Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award
• NBA Conference Finals Most Valuable Player Award
• NBA All-Star Game Kobe Bryant Most Valuable Player Award
• NBA G League Most Valuable Player Award
• NBL (United States) Most Valuable Player Award
• NBA records

References

General

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Specific