15 Players With Most MVPs In NBA History

• MVP - 6
• Years Won - 1971, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1980
• NBA Finals MVP - 2

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the towering 7-foot-2 center, dominated the NBA for 20 seasons, earning a record 6 MVP awards along the way.

His reign began in his rookie year (1971), where he dominated with an unstoppable skyhook and led the Milwaukee Bucks to their first championship. He secured back-to-back MVPs the following year

Then he won an MVP in 1974 despite scoring "only" 27 points per game. In 1976, his MVP came despite the Bucks missing the playoffs, a testament to his individual brilliance. His final two MVPs came with the Los Angeles Lakers.

• MVP - 5
• Years Won - 1958, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1965

Bill Russell exerted his dominance over the NBA for a remarkable 13 seasons, securing an impressive 11 NBA championships.

His influence extended beyond mere trophy achievements, as evidenced by his receipt of 5 NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) awards.

His first MVP award came in his second season as he led the Boston Celtics to championship glory in 1958. Then, Russell clinched his third consecutive MVP honor in 1961, 1962 and 1963, solidifying his status as the most valuable player in the league.

After a one-year break, Russell reclaimed the MVP title in 1965.

• MVP - 5
• Years Won - 1988, 1991, 1992, 1996, 1998
• NBA Finals MVP - 6

Michael Jordan, the iconic Chicago Bulls legend, boasts five NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) awards.

Leading the Bulls to a 50-32 record, Jordan averaged 35 points per game in 1988, earning his first MVP alongside the Defensive Player of the Year award.

Then in 1991, Jordan dominated the league with a 31.5-point average, guiding the Bulls to a 61-21 record and his second MVP.

In 1998, Michael Jordan secured his last MVP by maintaining an average of 28.7 points and guiding the Bulls to achieve their second three-peat.

• MVP - 4
• Years Won - 1960, 1966, 1967, 1968
• NBA Finals MVP - 1

Wilt Chamberlain secured the NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) accolade on four occasions during his career.

He stands among the exclusive group of five players who have earned the MVP award more than three times, sharing the fourth position with LeBron James for the most MVP awards in NBA history.

Chamberlain's first MVP was achieved in his debut season, 1959-60. Subsequently, he continued his stellar performance by clinching three consecutive MVP awards from the seasons 1965-66 to 1967-68.

• MVP - 4
• Years Won - 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013
• NBA Finals MVP - 4
• NBA In-Season Tournament MVP (2023)

LeBron James has achieved the remarkable feat of winning the prestigious NBA Most Valuable Player award a total of four times in his illustrious career, with his victories coming in 2009, 2010, 2012, and 2013.

James's first MVP award came in 2009 when he led the Cleveland Cavaliers to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in franchise history.

He earned his fourth MVP in 2013 after he led the Heat to their second consecutive NBA championship. James also has four NBA Finals MVPs from the years he won the title.

• MVP - 3
• Years Won - 1984, 1985, 1986
• NBA Finals MVP - 2

Larry Bird solidified his place in basketball history by securing the NBA's Most Valuable Player accolade for an impressive three consecutive years, spanning from 1984 to 1986.

The Boston Celtics legend guided the franchise to three NBA championships, winning the MVP and Finals MVP awards in 1984 and 1986.

Similarly, during his second MVP win in 1985, Bird guided the Celtics to an impressive season record of 63-19, securing his second MVP accolade. He averaged 28.7 points, 6.6 assists, and 10.5 rebounds per game. 

• MVP - 3
• Years Won - 1979, 1982, 1983
• NBA Finals MVP - 1

Moses Malone was a basketball superstar, bossing the NBA for almost 20 years. He snagged three MVP awards in his amazing career.

The initial MVP honor landed in 1979 when he played for the Houston Rockets. In 1982, Malone won his second MVP award with the Philadelphia 76ers.

The following year, in 1983, Malone cemented his legacy. He led the 76ers to the NBA championship, averaging 24.5 points and 15.3 rebounds per game throughout the season. He was named both the NBA Finals MVP and the league MVP for the third time.

• MVP - 3
• Years Won - 1987, 1989, 1990
• NBA Finals MVP - 3

Throughout his extraordinary career, Magic Johnson garnered three NBA MVP awards, each marking a pinnacle of his talent and leadership.

In 1987, he secured his first MVP, averaging a career-high 23.9 points and leading the league in assists. His performance propelled the Lakers to the best record in the NBA and culminated in a Finals MVP trophy.

Two years later, Magic repeated his MVP success, leading the Lakers to another championship and once again receiving the Finals MVP award.

Finally, in 1990, Johnson proved his dominance again capturing his third and final MVP title.

• MVP - 2
• Years Won - 2021, 2022
• NBA Finals MVP - 1

Nikola Jokic cemented his place among the NBA's elite, winning MVP two years in a row in 2021 and 2022.

Standing tall at 6'11", he plays center but does not play by the traditional rules. Jokic is different. He is not just about scoring, he is an amazing passer, shooter, and has killer post moves.

During the 2022–23 NBA season, he secured the NBA Finals MVP accolade by guiding the Nuggets to their inaugural NBA championship victory. His remarkable passing and basketball IQ earned him the nickname "The Joker."

• MVP - 2
• Years Won - 2015, 2016
• NBA Finals MVP - 1

Stephen Curry reached a pivotal moment in his NBA career when he secured two MVP accolades in 2015 and 2016.

His 2016 achievement was particularly groundbreaking, as he became the first player to unanimously win the MVP title. During that season, Curry played a crucial role in guiding the Golden State Warriors to a franchise-record 67 wins.

His remarkable performance included an average of 30.1 points per game, with an FG% of .504 and an impressive 45.4% from three-point range.

Curry became the 11th player to win the award in consecutive seasons and the first guard to do so since Steve Nash in 2005-06.

• MVP - 2
• Years Won - 2019, 2020
• NBA Finals MVP - 1

Giannis Antetokounmpo solidified his status among the NBA's top players by securing back-to-back MVP awards in 2019 and 2020.

His commanding presence on both offense and defense propelled the Milwaukee Bucks to the best record in the league during the 2019-2020 season.

This achievement placed him in the exclusive company of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and LeBron James as the only players to win two MVPs before turning 26.

These accolades marked his transformation from a raw talent into a dominant force, setting the stage for subsequent triumphs such as the NBA championship and Finals MVP title in 2021.

• MVP - 2
• Years Won - 2005, 2006

Steve Nash exceeded expectations and changed the storyline of the NBA MVP accolade by clinching consecutive victories in 2005 and 2006.

In 2005, Nash led the Phoenix Suns to the Western Conference Finals, averaging 15.5 points and a league-leading 11.5 assists per game.

Guiding the Suns to an impressive 54-28 record in the 2005-06 season, Nash maintained an average of a career-high 18.8 points and achieved 10.5 assists per game.

He orchestrated the innovative "Seven Seconds or Less" offense, which brought about a revolution in the NBA.

• MVP - 2
• Years Won - 2002, 2003
• NBA Finals MVP - 3

Tim Duncan's status as one of the NBA's premier power forwards was firmly established with his back-to-back MVPs in 2002 and 2003.

In his outstanding 2002 MVP season, his stats read 25.5 points, 12.7 rebounds, and 3.7 assists. This stellar performance not only propelled the Spurs to a 58-24 record. 

The following year, Duncan's dominance persisted as he led the league in rebounds (12.9) and maintained averages of 23.3 points and 3.9 assists.

Once again, he orchestrated a 60-win season for the Spurs, ultimately leading them to their second championship in three years.

• MVP - 2
• Years Won - 1997, 1999

Coined "The Mailman", Karl Malone left a lasting impact on the NBA during the 1990s. His impressive skill set earned him two MVP awards in 1997 and 1999.

Malone's true legacy lies in his leadership of the Utah Jazz to the NBA Finals in 1997 and 1998. However, despite his remarkable performances, he was unable to secure an NBA championship for his team. 

In 1997, he maintained an outstanding average of 27.4 points and 9.9 rebounds per game while in 1999, his stats showed 23 .8 points while grabbing 9.4 rebounds each game.

• MVP - 2
• Years Won - 1956, 1959

Bob Pettit, a formidable power forward during the 1950s and 60s, congealed his position in basketball history by earning two NBA MVP honors in 1956 and 1959.

In 1956, he demonstrated an immediate impact by leading the league in scoring with 25.7 PPG. His 1959 MVP season was even more remarkable, as he topped the league in scoring and maintained a double-double average.

Pettit's influence was not limited to the regular season; he garnered an unprecedented four All-Star Game MVP awards. As of 2023, Pettit remains the sole recipient of the regular-season MVP award in the Hawks' history.