NBA MVP Winners: The NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) award honors the league's best performer each season, recognizing excellence in stats, leadership, and team success since 1956. Voted by the media, it often signals playoff contenders and Hall of Fame paths. The NBA reports 70 unique winners through 2025, with centers dominating early eras before guards and forwards rose in modern basketball. Bill Russell's Boston Celtics won 10 early MVPs, while recent international stars like Nikola Jokić highlight global talent. This list traces dominance from Pettit to Gilgeous-Alexander, showing how the award evolved with the game.
List of NBA MVP Winners From 1956 To 2025!
The NBA MVP award began in the 1955-56 season, with winners selected annually except lockouts. Bob Pettit claimed the first, while recent picks reflect versatile playmakers.
| Season | Player | Position | Nationality | Team |
| 2024–25 | Point guard | Canada | Oklahoma City Thunder | |
| 2023–24 | Nikola Jokić | Center | Serbia | Denver Nuggets |
| 2022–23 | Joel Embiid | Center | Cameroon | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 2021–22 | Nikola Jokić | Center | Serbia | Denver Nuggets |
| 2020–21 | Nikola Jokić | Center | Serbia | Denver Nuggets |
| 2019–20 | Giannis Antetokounmpo | Power forward | Greece | Milwaukee Bucks |
| 2018–19 | Giannis Antetokounmpo | Power forward | Greece | Milwaukee Bucks |
| 2017–18 | James Harden | Shooting guard | United States | Houston Rockets |
| 2016–17 | Russell Westbrook | Point guard | United States | Oklahoma City Thunder |
| 2015–16 | Stephen Curry | Point guard | United States | Golden State Warriors |
| 2014–15 | Stephen Curry | Point guard | United States | Golden State Warriors |
| 2013–14 | Kevin Durant | Small forward | United States | Oklahoma City Thunder |
| 2012–13 | LeBron James | Small forward | United States | Miami Heat |
| 2011–12 | LeBron James | Small forward | United States | Miami Heat |
| 2010–11 | Derrick Rose | Point guard | United States | Chicago Bulls |
| 2009–10 | LeBron James | Small forward | United States | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 2008–09 | LeBron James | Small forward | United States | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 2007–08 | Kobe Bryant | Shooting guard | United States | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 2006–07 | Dirk Nowitzki | Power forward | Germany | Dallas Mavericks |
| 2005–06 | Steve Nash | Point guard | Canada | Phoenix Suns |
| 2004–05 | Steve Nash | Point guard | Canada | Phoenix Suns |
| 2003–04 | Kevin Garnett | Power forward | United States | Minnesota Timberwolves |
| 2002–03 | Tim Duncan | Power forward | United States | San Antonio Spurs |
| 2001–02 | Tim Duncan | Power forward | United States | San Antonio Spurs |
| 2000–01 | Allen Iverson | Shooting guard | United States | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 1999–00 | Shaquille O'Neal | Center | United States | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1998–99 | Karl Malone | Power forward | United States | Utah Jazz |
| 1997–98 | Michael Jordan | Shooting guard | United States | Chicago Bulls |
| 1996–97 | Karl Malone | Power forward | United States | Utah Jazz |
| 1995–96 | Shooting guard | United States | Chicago Bulls | |
| 1994–95 | David Robinson | Center | United States | San Antonio Spurs |
| 1993–94 | Hakeem Olajuwon | Center | Nigeria | Houston Rockets |
| 1992–93 | Charles Barkley | Power forward | United States | Phoenix Suns |
| 1991–92 | Michael Jordan | Shooting guard | United States | Chicago Bulls |
| 1990–91 | Michael Jordan | Shooting guard | United States | Chicago Bulls |
| 1989–90 | Magic Johnson | Point guard | United States | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1988–89 | Magic Johnson | Point guard | United States | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1987–88 | Michael Jordan | Shooting guard | United States | Chicago Bulls |
| 1986–87 | Magic Johnson | Point guard | United States | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1985–86 | Larry Bird | Small forward | United States | Boston Celtics |
| 1984–85 | Larry Bird | Small forward | United States | Boston Celtics |
| 1983–84 | Larry Bird | Small forward | United States | Boston Celtics |
| 1982–83 | Moses Malone | Center | United States | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 1981–82 | Moses Malone | Center | United States | Houston Rockets |
| 1980–81 | Julius Erving | Small forward | United States | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 1979–80 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | Center | United States | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1978–79 | Moses Malone | Center | United States | Houston Rockets |
| 1977–78 | Bill Walton | Center | United States | Portland Trail Blazers |
| 1976–77 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | Center | United States | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1975–76 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | Center | United States | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1974–75 | Bob McAdoo | Center | United States | Buffalo Braves |
| 1973–74 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | Center | United States | Milwaukee Bucks |
| 1972–73 | Dave Cowens | Center | United States | Boston Celtics |
| 1971–72 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | Center | United States | Milwaukee Bucks |
| 1970–71 | Lew Alcindor | Center | United States | Milwaukee Bucks |
| 1969–70 | Willis Reed | Center | United States | New York Knicks |
| 1968–69 | Wes Unseld | Center | United States | Baltimore Bullets |
| 1967–68 | Wilt Chamberlain | Center | United States | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 1966–67 | Wilt Chamberlain | Center | United States | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 1965–66 | Wilt Chamberlain | Center | United States | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 1964–65 | Bill Russel | Center | United States | Boston Celtics |
| 1963–64 | Oscar Robertson | Point guard | United States | Cincinnati Royals |
| 1962–63 | Bill Russell | Center | United States | Boston Celtics |
| 1961–62 | Bill Russell | Center | United States | Boston Celtics |
| 1960–61 | Bill Russell | Center | United States | Boston Celtics |
| 1959–60 | Wilt Chamberlain | Center | United States | Philadelphia Warriors |
| 1958–59 | Bob Pettit | Power forward | United States | St. Louis Hawks |
| 1957–58 | Bill Russell | Center | United States | Boston Celtics |
| 1956–57 | Bob Cousy | Point guard | United States | Boston Celtics |
(Source- Wikipedia)
How does an NBA MVP get chosen?
NBA MVP voting involves sportswriters and broadcasters from the U.S. and Canada submitting ballots. Each voter ranks the top 5 players: 10 points for 1st, 7 for 2nd, 5 for 3rd, 3 for 4th, 1 for 5th. Total points determine the winner, announced before playoffs.
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Unanimous wins include Stephen Curry (2016) and others with all first-place votes.
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Finals MVP differs; regular-season MVP focuses on full-year impact, not just postseason.
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Tiebreakers rarely occur; lockout-shortened seasons like 1998-99 still award MVPs.
Media panels ensure broad perspectives, evolving from early years to modern analytics influence.
Check Out | Top 7 Lakers Games That Defined NBA History
Who has the Most NBA MVP Wins?
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar holds the record with 6 MVPs, spanning 1971-77 across Milwaukee and Lakers. Bill Russell follows with 5, all fueling Celtics dynasties. Michael Jordan and LeBron James each have 5, tying legends in impact.
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Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: 6 (1971–72, 1973–74, 1975–77, 1979–80).
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Bill Russell: 5 (1957–58, 1960–65), all with Boston Celtics.
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Michael Jordan: 5 (1987–88, 1990–92, 1995–98), powering Bulls titles.
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LeBron James, Wilt Chamberlain, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson: 3 each.
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Nikola Jokić: 3 (2020–24), most recent multi-winner.
Centers won 42 of 70 awards; recent guards/forwards show position diversity. Boston leads teams with 10 MVPs.
Read | NBA Rankings 2025-26: Top Teams, Players & Team Standings
Conclusion
The NBA MVP winners list from 1956-2025 chronicles basketball's evolution through icons like Russell, Jordan, and Jokić. Media voting captures season-long dominance, with Kareem's 6 the gold standard. This history highlights individual brilliance driving team success across eras.
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