The dream of every NBA player is to win the MVP (Most Valuable Player) award, which is the recognition given by the league to the best player of the regular season.
The NBA MVP award was established in honor of Maurice Podoloff (hence the name of the Maurice Podoloff Trophy), the first president of the NBA, and was first awarded in the 1955/56 season.
Starting from the 2020 edition, the award has been named after Kobe Bryant, who passed away a few months earlier.
Today we will discover which NBA player has won the most MVP awards, the complete ranking of all multiple winners, and finally, a special ranking by team: here is the MVP Hall of Fame.
Who has the most NBA MVP?
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar holds the record for the most NBA MVP awards, having won the award 6 times in his career. He won his first MVP award in the 1970-71 season and his last one in the 1979-80 season. No other player in NBA history has won as many MVP awards as Abdul-Jabbar.
Michael Jordan and Bill Russell are tied for the second-most MVP awards, with each player having won the award five times. LeBron James has won the award four times, while players such as Wilt Chamberlain, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, and Tim Duncan have each won the award three times.
Players with the Most NBA MVP
| # | Players | MVP | Years |
| 1 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 6 | 1971, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1980 |
| 2 | Bill Russell | 5 | 1958, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1965 |
| Michael Jordan | 5 | 1988, 1991, 1992, 1996, 1998 | |
| 4 | Wilt Chamberlain | 4 | 1960, 1966, 1967, 1968 |
| LeBron James | 4 | 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013 | |
| 6 | Moses Malone | 3 | 1979, 1982, 1983 |
| Larry Bird | 3 | 1984, 1985, 1986 | |
| Magic Johnson | 3 | 1987, 1989, 1990 | |
| 9 | Bob Pettit | 2 | 1956, 1959 |
| Karl Malone | 2 | 1997, 1999 | |
| Tim Duncan | 2 | 2002, 2003 | |
| Steve Nash | 2 | 2005, 2006 | |
| Stephen Curry | 2 | 2015, 2016 | |
| Giannis Antetokounmpo | 2 | 2019, 2020 | |
| Nikola Jokic | 2 | 2021, 2022 |
On the other hand, analyzing in which teams the MVP awards have been won, the two most titled teams of all time are Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers, who throughout their history have created legendary cycles relying on players such as Bill Russel and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Teams with the Most NBA MVP
| # | Team | MVP | Years |
| 1 | Boston Celtics | 10 | 1957, 1958, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1965, 1973, 1984, 1985, 1986 |
| 2 | Los Angeles Lakers | 8 | 1976, 1977, 1980, 1987, 1989, 1990, 2000, 2008 |
| 3 | Philadelphia 76ers | 6 | 1966, 1967, 1968, 1981, 1983, 2001 |
| Chicago Bulls | 6 | 1988, 1991, 1992, 1996, 1998, 2011 | |
| 5 | Milwaukee Bucks | 5 | 1971, 1972, 1974, 2019,2020 |
| 6 | Houston Rockets | 4 | 1979, 1982, 1994, 2018 |
| 7 | Phoenix Suns | 3 | 1993, 2005, 2006 |
| San Antonio Spurs | 3 | 1995, 2002, 2003 | |
| Golden State Warriors | 3 | 1960, 2015, 2016 | |
| 10 | Oklahoma Thunder | 2 | 2014, 2017 |
| Miami Heat | 2 | 2012, 2013 | |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | 2 | 2009, 2010 | |
| Utah Jazz | 2 | 1997, 1999 | |
| Atlanta Hawks | 2 | 1956, 1959 | |
| Denver Nuggets | 2 | 2021, 2022 | |
| 15 | Dallas Mavericks | 1 | 2007 |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | 1 | 2004 | |
| Portland Trail Blazers | 1 | 1978 | |
| Los Angeles Clippers | 1 | 1975 | |
| New York Knicks | 1 | 1970 | |
| Washington Wizards | 1 | 1969 | |
| Sacramento Kings | 1 | 1964 |
Curiosities about the MVP award
In the over 60 years of NBA MVP history, the award has been given to a non-American player only five times: twice to Steve Nash (Canada), once to Dirk Nowitzki (Germany), twice to Giannis Antetokounmpo (Greece), and twice to Nikola Jokic (Serbia), the third European player ever to win the NBA Most Valuable Player title.
How many MVPs does Kobe Bryant have?
The former legend of the Los Angeles Lakers and the basketball world has won 4 MVP awards (2002, 2007, 2009, 2011) during his 20-year career, all with the purple and gold.
How many MVPs does Michael Jordan have?
His Airness won 5 MVP awards (1988, 1991, 1992, 1996, 1998) during his career and ranks second in this special ranking.
How many MVPs does LeBron James have?
The current number 6 of the Los Angeles Lakers is the active player with the most MVP awards in his trophy case: in fact, the “Kid from Akron” has collected 4 MVP titles (2009, 2010, 2012, 2013).
How many MVPs does Steph Curry have?
The Chef has collected 2 MVP titles (2015, 2016) during his NBA years, all spent so far wearing the Warriors jersey.”
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Author: Zeno Schievenin
March 29, 2023 | 2:36 am
