Helena Frye
In basketball, MVP is an abbreviation for Most Valuable Player. It is an annual award given by the National Basketball Association (NBA) to the best-performing player of the regular season. The NBA has been awarding the MVP since the 1955–56 season, and the winner is decided by a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. The NBA MVP award is considered one of the most prestigious honours in basketball, and players who have won this award multiple times include Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Jordan, Wilt Chamberlain, and LeBron James.
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What You'll Learn
NBA Most Valuable Player
In basketball, MVP stands for Most Valuable Player. The NBA Most Valuable Player award is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) award given to the best-performing player of the regular season. The NBA has presented this award since the 1955-56 season. Since the 2022-23 season, winners have received the Michael Jordan Trophy, named after the five-time MVP. Before 2021, the winner received the Maurice Podoloff Trophy, honouring the first commissioner (and later president) of the NBA. With the switch to the Michael Jordan Trophy, his name was given to a new Maurice Podoloff Trophy presented to the team with the best regular-season record.
The process of selecting the NBA MVP has changed over the years. Until the 1979-80 season, the MVP was selected by a vote among NBA players. Since the 1980-81 season, the MVP has been decided by a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters from across the United States and Canada. Each panel member votes for their first to fifth-place selections. A first-place vote is worth 10 points, a second-place vote is worth seven, a third-place vote is worth five, a fourth-place vote is worth three, and a fifth-place vote is worth one. The player with the most points at the end of the voting wins the award.
The NBA MVP award is given to the player with the greatest individual performance in the entire league or on a specific team. The award recognises the player's contribution and outstanding performance among their peers. The NBA MVP is not always from the team that wins the postseason. For example, in 1975-76, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar won the MVP award, but his team did not qualify for the postseason.
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Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: Record holder
In team sports, MVP stands for Most Valuable Player, an award honouring athletes with the greatest performance in an entire league, a particular competition, or on a specific team. The NBA's all-time leading scorer, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, is a record holder of six MVP awards.
Born Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Jr. in 1947, Abdul-Jabbar played college basketball for the UCLA Bruins, winning three consecutive national championships. He was drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks in 1969, with whom he played for six seasons and won his first NBA Most Valuable Player Award in 1971. He was also named Finals MVP that year after leading the Bucks to their first NBA championship. Abdul-Jabbar converted to Islam before the 1971-72 season and changed his name to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, meaning "noble, powerful servant."
Abdul-Jabbar was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in 1975, with whom he played the final 14 seasons of his career. During his time with the Lakers, the team won five NBA championships. He was a member of six NBA championship teams as a player and two more as an assistant coach, and was twice voted the NBA Finals MVP.
Abdul-Jabbar broke the NBA's career scoring record in 1984 and held it until LeBron James surpassed him in 2023. At the time of his retirement in 1989, he held the record for most career games played, most minutes played, most field goals made, most points, and most 1,000-point seasons in the NBA. He was also a 19-time NBA All-Star, a 15-time All-NBA Team member, and an 11-time NBA All-Defensive Team selection. Abdul-Jabbar's strict physical fitness regimen was years ahead of its time in the NBA, and his trademark "skyhook" shot became one of the most effective moves in the game.
Abdul-Jabbar's accomplishments have solidified his legacy as one of the greatest players in NBA history. He was widely respected by his peers and coaches, with Pat Riley, former Miami Heat coach, toasting him as the "greatest player ever." Abdul-Jabbar's impact extended beyond the court, as he also expressed an interest in coaching and imparting his knowledge to future generations.
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Team MVP vs. League MVP
In basketball, MVP stands for Most Valuable Player. The term can have different connotations depending on the context in which it is used.
A "Team MVP" is the most valuable player on a team, referring to the player whose contribution is the greatest among their teammates. A "League MVP", on the other hand, is the most valuable player in an entire league, denoting the player whose performance is the most excellent in the league.
The criteria for selecting an MVP can vary across leagues, but it generally involves a multi-step process. In most professional sports leagues, the pool of players is initially narrowed down to a list of nominees, or finalists, from which the individual winner is decided based on regular season performance. This decision is typically made by a vote, with voters being other players, members of the media, or coaches. In the NBA, for example, a panel of broadcasters and sportswriters are brought together to vote on the MVP award. Each person on the panel casts a vote for their first-place selection down to their fifth choice. A first-place vote is worth 10 points, a second-place vote is worth 7, and so on. The player with the most overall points wins the award.
It is important to note that the MVP is not necessarily the same as the "winningest" player. While there is often a correlation, there are notable exceptions. For instance, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar won the 1975-76 NBA MVP award, even though his team did not qualify for the postseason.
Additionally, the concept of a "go-to player" on a team is distinct from the Team MVP. While they are not mutually exclusive, being a top scorer does not always equate to being the most valuable to the team. Players who contribute in other ways, such as through assists, rebounds, and defence, can also be considered for the Team MVP award.
In summary, the distinction between Team MVP and League MVP in basketball lies in the scope of evaluation. The Team MVP recognises the most valuable player within a specific team, while the League MVP acknowledges the most outstanding player across all teams in the league.
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MVP voting process
In basketball, MVP stands for Most Valuable Player. The NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) award is an annual recognition given to the best-performing player of the regular season. The MVP voting process involves a panel of 100 sportswriters and broadcasters from the United States and Canada, along with one aggregated fan vote through the NBA's official website. The fan vote counts as one ballot, making a total of 101 votes. Voters rank their top five candidates using a points-based system, with a first-place vote netting a player 10 points, a second-place vote worth seven, a third worth five, a fourth worth three, and a fifth worth one. The player with the highest total points wins the award.
The voting process typically takes place at the end of the regular season, and the award is announced during the playoffs. While there is no strict formula for voting, voters consider factors such as individual statistics, team success, and overall impact on the league. The NBA also has eligibility criteria for players to qualify for the MVP award. Since the 2023-24 season, players must appear in at least 65 games and be credited with a minimum of 20 minutes played in each of those games.
The protocol for selecting the MVP has evolved over the years. Before the 1979-80 season, the MVP was determined by a vote of NBA players themselves. Since the 1980-81 season, the voting process has shifted to a panel of broadcasters and sportswriters who cast their votes for the MVP award.
The MVP award in basketball recognizes a player's exceptional performance and contributions to their team during a season. It is an honour bestowed upon an individual whose performance excels among their peers, either within a specific team or across the entire league.
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Other sports MVPs
In team sports, MVP stands for Most Valuable Player, an award given to the player with the greatest individual performance in an entire league, a particular competition, or on a specific team. While the award is common in basketball, it is also given in several other sports, including:
Baseball
In Major League Baseball (MLB), the MVP voting takes place before the postseason, but the results are not announced until after the World Series. Barry Bonds has won the MVP award seven times in the National League of Major League Baseball.
American Football
In the National Football League (NFL), the MVP award is voted upon by a panel of 50 sportswriters at the end of the regular season, before the playoffs. The most recent recipient of the award is Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills.
Ice Hockey
In the National Hockey League (NHL), the MVP award voting is conducted at the end of the regular season by members of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association. Each voter ranks their top five candidates on a 10-7-5-3-1 point system. The most recent recipient of the award is Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche. Ice hockey player Wayne Gretzky has been named MVP more times than any player in the history of the other three North American major professional leagues (MLB, NBA, and NFL).
Lacrosse, Soccer, Handball, and Rugby
These sports also give MVP awards, though the specifics of the process vary across leagues.
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Frequently asked questions
MVP stands for Most Valuable Player.
The MVP award is given to the player with the best performance in the regular season. The winner is decided by a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters who vote for their top five selections.
Since the 1980-81 season, the winner of the MVP award is decided by a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters from across the United States and Canada. Prior to this, the MVP was selected by a vote of NBA players.
The NBA Most Valuable Player award has been given annually since the 1955-56 season. The most recent recipient of the award is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has won the award a record six times.
