List of NBA MVP Award Winners
Immediately following the NBA regular season, a panel of sportswriters and sports broadcasters vote to decide who should receive the award for the National Basketball Association‘s Most Valuable Player. Prior to 1981, the award was originally voted on by the NBA Players themselves, and starting in 2010, fan voting accounted for one ballot. Each writer, broadcaster, and fan ballot on the panel casts a vote for their first through fifth place candidates for the NBA MVP.
- First Place Vote = 10 Points
- Second Place Vote = 7 Points
- Third Place Vote = 5 Points
- Fourth Place Vote = 3 Points
- Fifth Place Vote = 1 Point
The player receiving the most points (not necessarily first place votes) wins the award. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar leads the way with six NBA Most Valuable Player awards. Michael Jordan and Bill Russell have both won the award five times.
List of NBA MVP Award Winners
*Indicates Hall of Fame Member
^ Indicates Active Player
|
Season |
Player |
Position |
Team |
|
1955–56 |
Bob Pettit* |
Forward |
St. Louis Hawks |
|
1956–57 |
Bob Cousy* |
Guard |
|
|
1957–58 |
Bill Russell* |
Center |
Boston Celtics |
|
1958–59 |
Bob Pettit* |
Forward |
St. Louis Hawks |
|
1959–60 |
Wilt Chamberlain* |
Center |
Philadelphia Warriors |
|
1960–61 |
Bill Russell* |
Center |
Boston Celtics |
|
1961–62 |
Bill Russell* |
Center |
Boston Celtics |
|
1962–63 |
Bill Russell* |
Center |
Boston Celtics |
|
1963–64 |
Oscar Robertson* |
Guard |
Cincinnati Royals |
|
1964–65 |
Bill Russell* |
Center |
Boston Celtics |
|
1965–66 |
Wilt Chamberlain* |
Center |
|
|
1966–67 |
Wilt Chamberlain* |
Center |
Philadelphia 76ers |
|
1967–68 |
Wilt Chamberlain* |
Center |
Philadelphia 76ers |
|
1968–69 |
Wes Unseld* |
Center/Forward |
Baltimore Bullets |
|
1969–70 |
Willis Reed* |
Center/Forward |
|
|
1970–71 |
Lew Alcindor* |
Center |
|
|
1971–72 |
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar* |
Center |
Milwaukee Bucks |
|
1972–73 |
Dave Cowens* |
Center |
Boston Celtics |
|
1973–74 |
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar* |
Center |
Milwaukee Bucks |
|
1974–75 |
Bob McAdoo* |
Forward/Center |
Buffalo Braves |
|
1975–76 |
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar* |
Center |
|
|
1976–77 |
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar* |
Center |
Los Angeles Lakers |
|
1977–78 |
Bill Walton* |
Center |
|
|
1978–79 |
Moses Malone* |
Center/Forward |
|
|
1979–80 |
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar* |
Center |
Los Angeles Lakers |
|
1980–81 |
Julius Erving* |
Forward |
Philadelphia 76ers |
|
1981–82 |
Moses Malone* |
Center/Forward |
Houston Rockets |
|
1982–83 |
Moses Malone* |
Center/Forward |
Philadelphia 76ers |
|
1983–84 |
Larry Bird* |
Forward |
Boston Celtics |
|
1984–85 |
Larry Bird* |
Forward |
Boston Celtics |
|
1985–86 |
Larry Bird* |
Forward |
Boston Celtics |
|
1986–87 |
Magic Johnson* |
Guard |
Los Angeles Lakers |
|
1987–88 |
Michael Jordan* |
Guard |
|
|
1988–89 |
Magic Johnson* |
Guard |
Los Angeles Lakers |
|
1989–90 |
Magic Johnson* |
Guard |
Los Angeles Lakers |
|
1990–91 |
Michael Jordan* |
Guard |
Chicago Bulls |
|
1991–92 |
Michael Jordan* |
Guard |
Chicago Bulls |
|
1992–93 |
Charles Barkley* |
Forward |
|
|
1993–94 |
Hakeem Olajuwon* |
Center |
Houston Rockets |
|
1994–95 |
David Robinson* |
Center |
|
|
1995–96 |
Michael Jordan* |
Guard |
Chicago Bulls |
|
1996–97 |
Karl Malone* |
Forward |
|
|
1997–98 |
Michael Jordan* |
Guard |
Chicago Bulls |
|
1998–99 |
Karl Malone* |
Forward |
Utah Jazz |
|
1999–00 |
Shaquille O’Neal |
Center |
Los Angeles Lakers |
|
2000–01 |
Allen Iverson |
Guard |
Philadelphia 76ers |
|
2001–02 |
Tim Duncan^ |
Forward/Center |
San Antonio Spurs |
|
2002–03 |
Tim Duncan^ |
Forward/Center |
San Antonio Spurs |
|
2003–04 |
Kevin Garnett^ |
Forward |
|
|
2004–05 |
Steve Nash^ |
Guard |
Phoenix Suns |
|
2005–06 |
Steve Nash^ |
Guard |
Phoenix Suns |
|
2006–07 |
Dirk Nowitzki^ |
Forward |
|
|
2007–08 |
Kobe Bryant^ |
Guard |
Los Angeles Lakers |
|
2008–09 |
LeBron James^ |
Forward |
|
|
2009–10 |
LeBron James^ |
Forward |
Cleveland Cavaliers |
|
2010–11 |
Derrick Rose^ |
Guard |
Chicago Bulls |
|
2011–12 |
LeBron James^ |
Forward |
|
|
2012–13 |
LeBron James^ |
Forward |
Miami Heat |