NBA MVP Award: Complete History & All-Time Rankings Through 2026

The NBA Most Valuable Player award, presented annually since 1956, recognizes the league's outstanding player of each season. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's 6 MVP awards remain the all-time record, though the award's voting criteria and competitive landscape have evolved significantly. This guide covers every MVP winner.

Russell won three consecutive MVPs (1961-63), matched by Larry Bird (1984-86). Consecutive wins require sustained dominance — something even Jordan achieved only twice (1991-92). Jokić's three MVPs in four seasons established him as the era's most consistently valuable player, with unprecedented efficiency from the center position.

MVP voting is conducted by a panel of sports media members, each selecting a ranked ballot of 1-5 candidates. First-place votes receive 10 points, second-place 7, and so on. The most contentious votes include 2017 (Westbrook's triple-double season vs. Harden's efficiency) and 2011 (Rose over LeBron, Howard, and others).

Winning the MVP and the championship in the same season is basketball's rarest double. It has occurred in approximately 30% of NBA seasons. Jordan achieved this feat five times, cementing his status as the greatest player in NBA history. LeBron accomplished it twice, while Curry, Giannis, and Jokić each achieved it once.