Amanda Knapp
Basketball is one of the most well-known sports worldwide, with millions of fans watching the games and following their favourite teams and players. One of the most prestigious awards in basketball is the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award, which recognises the player who has made the most significant contribution to their team's success during the regular season. The MVP award has been given out in the NBA since the 1955-56 season and is voted on by a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters in the United States and Canada. The winner is announced at the end of the NBA playoffs.
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What You'll Learn
What does 'Most Valuable Player' mean?
The Most Valuable Player (MVP) award is one of the most prestigious awards in basketball. The award recognises the player who has had the most significant impact on their team's success during the regular season. The MVP award has been given out in the NBA since the 1955-56 season and is voted on by a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters in the United States and Canada. The winner is announced at the end of the NBA playoffs.
The official NBA criteria for the award state that the MVP is "the player who has had the most positive impact on his team’s success during the regular season". This criteria has been the subject of some debate, with some arguing for more strictly defined criteria and others for more flexibility in evaluations. Advanced statistics are also sometimes considered, though basic stats are generally considered to be a poor metric.
The MVP is not necessarily the "best" player, but the most valuable to their team. This means that they may not be the most talented or have the best statistics, but they are vital to their team's success. The MVP makes their teammates better and holds the team together. They are responsible for the most wins.
The MVP award is a testament to a player's skill, hard work, leadership, and impact on their team's success. It is a highly anticipated moment for basketball fans worldwide, signalling the end of another exciting regular season.
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How is the MVP chosen?
The NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) award is given annually to the best-performing player of the regular season. The winner is chosen by a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters in the United States and Canada, who submit their choices at the end of the regular season. Each member of the voting panel casts a vote for first to fifth-place selections, with the player receiving the highest count ultimately winning the award.
The official NBA criteria for the award state that the MVP should be "the player who has had the most positive impact on his team's success during the regular season." However, there is no consensus on which criteria defines an MVP, and the decision-making process is considered complex. Some factors that are considered include a player's statistics, personal judgement, and the opinions of people in the game. The team's success is also taken into account, as the MVP award is only given to players on teams that make the playoffs.
In recent years, there has been debate over how the MVP award should be selected. Some argue for more strictly defined criteria, while others believe that voters should have more flexibility in their evaluations. There is also disagreement over the importance of advanced statistics in MVP selection.
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MVP vs 'best' player
The NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) is an annual award given to the best-performing player of the regular season. The award is voted on by a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters in the United States and Canada, who submit their choices at the end of the regular season. The winner is then announced at the end of the NBA playoffs. The MVP award is one of the most prestigious individual honours in basketball.
The criteria for selecting the MVP is somewhat vague, with the official NBA criteria stating that the MVP should be "the player who has had the most positive impact on his team's success during the regular season". This has led to some debate over how the MVP award should be selected. Some argue for more strictly defined criteria, while others believe that voters should have more flexibility in their evaluations. There is also disagreement over the consideration of advanced statistics in MVP selection.
Now, when comparing the MVP to the "best" player, it's important to differentiate between the terms. The "Best" player is typically considered the best individual player, possessing superior skills, talent, athleticism, and basketball IQ. This player can take over a game and is responsible for the most baskets. On the other hand, the "Most Valuable" player is often seen as the best team player. This player is vital to their team's success, can make their teammates better, and is responsible for the most wins.
While there can be overlap between the two, with some players being both the "Best" and the MVP, it's not always the case. For example, a player with incredible individual stats may not have had the same impact on their team's success as another player who made their teammates better. Additionally, team success is a factor in MVP consideration, which can influence the perception of a player's individual performance.
In summary, the MVP award recognizes a player's skill, hard work, and impact on their team's success during the regular season. The "Best" player, on the other hand, may be more focused on individual performance and dominance, regardless of team success or the impact on their teammates. Both terms are prestigious accolades in the world of basketball, recognizing different aspects of a player's talent and contribution to the game.
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History of the MVP award
The NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) award has been given annually since the 1955-56 season to the best-performing player of the regular season. The award was first given to Maurice Podoloff, the first commissioner of the NBA, who served from 1946 to 1963. It was then known as the Maurice Podoloff Trophy.
Until the 1979-80 season, the MVP was selected by a vote of NBA players. Since the 1980-81 season, the awardee has been decided by a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters across the United States and Canada. Each member of the voting panel casts a vote for first to fifth-place selections.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, formerly known as Lew Alcindor, won the award a record six times. He is also the only player to win the award despite his team not making the playoffs, in the 1975–76 season. Michael Jordan, who won the award five times, is the only other player to have won the MVP award five times. In the 1987-88 and 1990-91 seasons, Jordan averaged at least 30 points on 50% shooting, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1 block per game. Both Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain won the award four times, with Chamberlain being one of only two rookies to have won the award.
In the 2024-25 season, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder won his first NBA MVP award, with Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets coming in second. Gilgeous-Alexander led the league with 32.7 points per game on 51.9% shooting, along with 6.4 assists, 5 rebounds, 1.7 steals, and 1 block per game.
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Examples of MVP winners
The Most Valuable Player (MVP) award is one of the most prestigious individual honours in the National Basketball Association (NBA). It is awarded to the player deemed to be the most valuable to their team during the regular season. The award is decided by a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters, who cast votes for their top five choices. Each first-place vote is worth 10 points, each second-place vote is worth seven, and so on, and the player with the highest total points wins the award. Now, let's take a look at some examples of players who have won the coveted MVP award:
LeBron James: LeBron James is one of the most accomplished players in NBA history, and he has won the MVP award four times. His first MVP season came with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2008-09, where he led the league in scoring with 28.4 points per game and also contributed 7.6 rebounds and 7.2 assists per game. James won his second MVP award in the following season, becoming the first Cavalier to win back-to-back MVP honours. His third and fourth MVP awards came with the Miami Heat in 2011-12 and 2012-13, making him just the third player in NBA history to win four MVP awards, joining Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Michael Jordan.
Stephen Curry: Golden State Warriors' point guard Stephen Curry won his first MVP award in the 2014-15 season, becoming the first Warrior to win the award since Wilt Chamberlain in 1960. Curry had a historic season, setting the record for made three-pointers with 286, and leading the league in scoring with 30.1 points per game. He also added 6.7 assists and 5.4 rebounds per game. Curry won his second MVP award in the 2015-16 season, becoming the first unanimous MVP in NBA history, receiving all 131 first-place votes.
Giannis Antetokounmpo: The 'Greek Freak', Giannis Antetokounmpo, has won the MVP award twice, in back-to-back seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2018-19 and 2019-20. In his first MVP season, Antetokounmpo averaged 27.7 points, 12.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 1.3 blocks, and 1.5 steals per game, leading the Bucks to the best record in the league. He followed up with another dominant season, averaging 29.5 points, 13.6 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 1.0 blocks, and 1.0 steals per game, becoming just the third player in NBA history to win MVP and Defensive Player of the Year awards in the same season.
Nikola Jokić: Nikola Jokić of the Denver Nuggets won the MVP award in back-to-back seasons, taking home the honours for the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons. Jokić is the first Nuggets player to win the MVP award and just the second centre to win the award in consecutive seasons, after Shaquille O'Neal. In his first MVP season, Jokić averaged 26.4 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 8.3 assists per game, becoming the first centre to lead his team in points, rebounds, and assists since Wilt Chamberlain. In his second MVP campaign, Jokić improved his averages to 26.8 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 8.5 assists per game.
These players have all left their mark on the league and earned the respect of their peers and the basketball world with their outstanding performances, which were rightfully recognized with the MVP award.
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Frequently asked questions
MVP stands for Most Valuable Player.
The MVP award is given to the player who has had the most significant impact on their team's success during the regular season.
The MVP award is voted on by a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters in the United States and Canada.
The winner of the MVP award is announced at the end of the NBA playoffs.
