NBA MVP List comprising of National Basketball Association Most Valuable Player Awardees is now available online. NBA MVP is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) award given since the 1955–56 season to the best performing player of the regular season. Starting with the 2022–23 season, winners receive the Michael Jordan Trophy, named for the five-time MVP often considered the best player in NBA history.
Prior to 2021, the winner received the Maurice Podoloff Trophy, which was named in honor of the first commissioner (then president) of the NBA, who served from 1946 until 1963. With the switch to the Michael Jordan Trophy, his name was moved to a new Maurice Podoloff Trophy given to the team with the best regular season record. Until the 1979–80 season, the MVP was selected by a vote of NBA players. Since the 1980–81 season, the award is decided by a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada.
Every player who has won this award and has been eligible for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame has been inducted. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar won the award a record six times. Both Bill Russell and Michael Jordan won the award five times while Wilt Chamberlain and LeBron James won the award four times.
NBA MVP List (All Time)
| Season | Player | Position | Nationality | Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1955–56 | Bob Pettit | Power forward | United States | St. Louis Hawks |
| 1956–57 | Bob Cousy | Point guard | United States | Boston Celtics |
| 1957–58 | Bill Russell | Center | United States | Boston Celtics |
| 1958–59 | Bob Pettit | Power forward | United States | St. Louis Hawks |
| 1959–60 | Wilt Chamberlain | Center | United States | Philadelphia Warriors |
| 1960–61 | Bill Russell | Center | United States | Boston Celtics |
| 1961–62 | Bill Russell | Center | United States | Boston Celtics |
| 1962–63 | Bill Russell | Center | United States | Boston Celtics |
| 1963–64 | Oscar Robertson | Point guard | United States | Cincinnati Royals |
| 1964–65 | Bill Russell | Center | United States | Boston Celtics |
| 1965–66 | Wilt Chamberlain | Center | United States | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 1966–67 | Wilt Chamberlain | Center | United States | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 1967–68 | Wilt Chamberlain | Center | United States | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 1968–69 | Wes Unseld | Center | United States | Baltimore Bullets |
| 1969–70 | Willis Reed | Center | United States | New York Knicks |
| 1970–71 | Lew Alcindor | Center | United States | Milwaukee Bucks |
| 1971–72 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | Center | United States | Milwaukee Bucks |
| 1972–73 | Dave Cowens | Center | United States | Boston Celtics |
| 1973–74 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | Center | United States | Milwaukee Bucks |
| 1974–75 | Bob McAdoo | Center | United States | Buffalo Braves |
| 1975–76 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | Center | United States | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1976–77 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | Center | United States | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1977–78 | Bill Walton | Center | United States | Portland Trail Blazers |
| 1978–79 | Moses Malone | Center | United States | Houston Rockets |
| 1979–80 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | Center | United States | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1980–81 | Julius Erving | Small forward | United States | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 1981–82 | Moses Malone | Center | United States | Houston Rockets |
| 1982–83 | Moses Malone | Center | United States | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 1983–84 | Larry Bird | Small forward | United States | Boston Celtics |
| 1984–85 | Larry Bird | Small forward | United States | Boston Celtics |
| 1985–86 | Larry Bird | Small forward | United States | Boston Celtics |
| 1986–87 | Magic Johnson | Point guard | United States | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1987–88 | Michael Jordan | Shooting guard | United States | Chicago Bulls |
| 1988–89 | Magic Johnson | Point guard | United States | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1989–90 | Magic Johnson | Point guard | United States | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1990–91 | Michael Jordan | Shooting guard | United States | Chicago Bulls |
| 1991–92 | Michael Jordan | Shooting guard | United States | Chicago Bulls |
| 1992–93 | Charles Barkley | Power forward | United States | Phoenix Suns |
| 1993–94 | Hakeem Olajuwon | Center | Nigeria | Houston Rockets |
| 1994–95 | David Robinson | Center | United States | San Antonio Spurs |
| 1995–96 | Michael Jordan | Shooting guard | United States | Chicago Bulls |
| 1996–97 | Karl Malone | Power forward | United States | Utah Jazz |
| 1997–98 | Michael Jordan | Shooting guard | United States | Chicago Bulls |
| 1998–99 | Karl Malone | Power forward | United States | Utah Jazz |
| 1999–00 | Shaquille O’Neal | Center | United States | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 2000–01 | Allen Iverson | Shooting guard | United States | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 2001–02 | Tim Duncan | Power forward | United States | San Antonio Spurs |
| 2002–03 | Tim Duncan | Power forward | United States | San Antonio Spurs |
| 2003–04 | Kevin Garnett | Power forward | United States | Minnesota Timberwolves |
| 2004–05 | Steve Nash | Point guard | Canada | Phoenix Suns |
| 2005–06 | Steve Nash | Point guard | Canada | Phoenix Suns |
| 2006–07 | Dirk Nowitzki | Power forward | Germany | Dallas Mavericks |
| 2007–08 | Kobe Bryant | Shooting guard | United States | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 2008–09 | LeBron James | Small forward | United States | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 2009–10 | LeBron James | Small forward | United States | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 2010–11 | Derrick Rose | Point guard | United States | Chicago Bulls |
| 2011–12 | LeBron James | Small forward | United States | Miami Heat |
| 2012–13 | LeBron James | Small forward | United States | Miami Heat |
| 2013–14 | Kevin Durant | Small forward | United States | Oklahoma City Thunder |
| 2014-15 | Stephen Curry | Point guard | United States | Golden State Warriors |
| 2015–16 | Stephen Curry | Point guard | United States | Golden State Warriors |
| 2016–17 | Russell Westbrook | Point guard | United States | Oklahoma City Thunder |
| 2017–18 | James Harden | Shooting guard | United States | Houston Rockets |
| 2018–19 | Giannis Antetokounmpo | Power forward | Greece | Milwaukee Bucks |
| 2019–20 | Giannis Antetokounmpo | Power forward | Greece | Milwaukee Bucks |
| 2020–21 | Nikola Jokić | Center | Serbia | Denver Nuggets |
| 2021–22 | Nikola Jokić | Center | Serbia | Denver Nuggets |
| 2022–23 | Joel Embiid | Center | Cameroon | Philadelphia 76ers |
