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The NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) award is given annually to the best-performing player of the regular season. Since the 2022-23 season, the winner has received the Michael Jordan Trophy, named after the five-time MVP winner. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has won the most NBA MVP awards with six, while Michael Jordan and Bill Russell are tied for second place with five wins each. Wilt Chamberlain, LeBron James, Moses Malone, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, and Nikola Jokic have all won the award multiple times.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Player with the most NBA MVP awards | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar |
| Number of times Kareem Abdul-Jabbar won the NBA MVP award | 6 |
| Players with the second-most NBA MVP awards | Michael Jordan, Bill Russell |
| Number of times Michael Jordan and Bill Russell won the NBA MVP award | 5 |
| Players with four NBA MVP awards | Wilt Chamberlain, LeBron James |
| Players with three NBA MVP awards | Moses Malone, Larry Bird, Earvin "Magic" Johnson, Nikola Jokić |
| Players with two NBA MVP awards | Bob Pettit, Karl Malone, Tim Duncan, Steve Nash, Stephen Curry, Giannis Antetokounmpo |
| Youngest NBA MVP | Derrick Rose |
| Oldest NBA MVP | Moses Malone |
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What You'll Learn
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has won the most NBA MVP awards with six
- Michael Jordan has won the second-most NBA MVP awards with five
- LeBron James has won the NBA MVP award four times
- Wilt Chamberlain won the NBA MVP award four times and was the first rookie to do so
- Nikola Jokic won the NBA MVP award in 2020-21 and 2021-22
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has won the most NBA MVP awards with six
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is the holder of the most NBA MVP awards, having won six times. Born Lew Alcindor, he changed his name to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar before the 1971-72 season. Abdul-Jabbar is one of the most celebrated basketball players of all time, and his six MVP awards are a testament to his incredible talent and impact on the court.
Abdul-Jabbar's first MVP award came during the 1970-71 season, and he went on to win five more over the course of his illustrious career. He played for two teams during this period, spending his first decade in the NBA with the Milwaukee Bucks before joining the Los Angeles Lakers in 1975, with whom he played for the remaining 14 years of his career.
Abdul-Jabbar's MVP record is all the more impressive when considering the level of competition he faced. Michael Jordan and Bill Russell, two legends of the game, are tied for the second-most MVP awards with five each. Jordan, whose name now graces the MVP trophy, dominated the league in the 1990s, while Russell led the Boston Celtics to an unprecedented eleven championships in thirteen seasons.
Abdul-Jabbar's six MVP awards are a testament to his consistent excellence and dominance on the court. His skill, combined with his towering height and long arms, made him a formidable force in both offence and defence. Abdul-Jabbar's signature move, the "skyhook," was virtually unguardable, and he remains the NBA's all-time leading scorer, a record that further cements his legacy as one of the greatest basketball players ever.
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Michael Jordan has won the second-most NBA MVP awards with five
Michael Jordan is a retired basketball player who played as a shooting guard. He played for the Chicago Bulls for most of his career, and his outstanding play and popularity are credited with increasing the NBA's popularity during the 1980s and 1990s. Jordan won his first NBA League MVP Award in the 1987–88 season, and his second in the 1990–91 season. He won three further MVP awards consecutively in the following three seasons, from 1990 to 1993. Jordan's streak of consecutive MVP seasons ended in the 1992–93 season when he lost the award to his friend, Charles Barkley.
Jordan's five MVP awards tie him with another basketball legend, Bill Russell, for the second-most NBA MVP awards. Wilt Chamberlain, LeBron James, Moses Malone, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, and Nikola Jokić are all tied for the third-most awards, with three MVPs each. Jordan's five MVP awards are among his many accolades, which include six NBA Finals MVP awards, ten NBA scoring titles, and nine All-Defensive First Team honours.
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LeBron James has won the NBA MVP award four times
LeBron Raymone James Sr., nicknamed "King James", is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the NBA. He is the NBA's all-time leading scorer and has won four NBA championships from ten NBA Finals appearances. James has won the NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) award four times. He is one of only two players to have fallen one vote shy of a unanimous selection, receiving 120 of 121 votes in 2012-13.
James won his first two NBA championships in 2012 and 2013, earning MVP and Finals MVP honours both years. He then returned to Cleveland in 2014, leading the Cavaliers to their first-ever championship in 2016. In 2018, he signed with the Lakers, winning another title in 2020 and becoming the first player to win Finals MVP with three different teams. In 2023, he surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's record to become the NBA's all-time leading scorer.
James holds several individual honours, including four NBA MVP awards, four Finals MVP awards, the Rookie of the Year award, three All-Star Game MVP awards, the inaugural NBA Cup MVP, and the Olympics MVP in the 2024 Summer Olympics. He has been a record 21-time All-Star and has been named to 20 All-NBA Teams, including 13 times to the First Team, which are both NBA records.
James is the only player in NBA history to reach 39,000 career points. He also surpassed Abdul-Jabbar's record for the most minutes played in NBA games during the regular season and playoffs. In addition to his NBA achievements, James has won three Olympic gold medals as a member of the U.S. national team.
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Wilt Chamberlain won the NBA MVP award four times and was the first rookie to do so
Wilt Chamberlain is a legendary figure in the world of basketball. Standing at 7 feet 1 inch (2.16 m) tall, he dominated the NBA as one of its most prolific players. Chamberlain played centre for 14 seasons and is best remembered for his incredible scoring achievements, including being the only player to score 100 points in a single game. He also broke eight NBA records in his rookie season and was named both Rookie of the Year and MVP.
Chamberlain's impact on the NBA was immediate and profound. In his first NBA season, he averaged an impressive 37.6 points, 27.0 rebounds, and 46.4 minutes played. These numbers broke previous records, and he remains the only player to average more than 27 rebounds per game. Chamberlain's scoring prowess was further highlighted by his achievement of being the first player to achieve a 20-point, 20-rebound, and 20-assist game in NBA history.
Chamberlain's talent was recognised early on, as he was named Mr. Basketball USA and NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player in 1957. He carried this momentum into his rookie season in the NBA, where he not only broke records but also showcased his all-around game. Chamberlain's ability to grab rebounds and dish out assists, in addition to his scoring, made him a force to be reckoned with. His performance in the 1960 NBA All-Star Game further solidified his reputation, as he scored 23 points and grabbed 25 rebounds, earning him the All-Star Game MVP award.
Chamberlain's four MVP awards are a testament to his consistent excellence throughout his career. Three of his four MVP awards came as a member of the Philadelphia 76ers, with whom he won his first NBA championship in 1967. Chamberlain's impact on the court extended beyond scoring, as he led the NBA in rebounding eleven times and assists once. His dominance in the paint was such that he was nicknamed "Wilt the Stilt" and "The Big Dipper". Chamberlain's career totals of 31,419 points and 23,924 rebounds are a testament to his enduring impact on the league.
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Nikola Jokic won the NBA MVP award in 2020-21 and 2021-22
Nikola Jokic is a Serbian basketball player for the Denver Nuggets. He has been named the NBA MVP three times, including in the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons. In 2020-21, Denver had a record of 47-25 in 72 games, which projected to 54 wins in 82 games. Jokic is the first player to earn the honour as a member of the Denver Nuggets and the lowest-drafted player to be named MVP.
The NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) award is an annual award given to the best-performing player of the regular season. The winner of 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. The player with the highest point total wins the award.
Prior to 2021, the winner of the NBA MVP award received the Maurice Podoloff Trophy, which was named in honour of the first commissioner of the NBA. Since the 2022-23 season, winners receive the Michael Jordan Trophy, named after the five-time MVP.
Jokic is one of only nine players in NBA history to win three or more MVP awards. The others are Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (a record six times), Bill Russell, Michael Jordan, Wilt Chamberlain, LeBron James, Moses Malone, Larry Bird, and Magic Johnson.
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Frequently asked questions
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has won the most NBA MVP awards, with six wins.
Michael Jordan and Bill Russell are close behind, with five MVP awards each.
Yes, Stephen Curry is the only player to have won the award unanimously in 2015-16. Shaquille O'Neal and LeBron James have come the closest to a unanimous win, falling one vote short.
