The NBA MVP is the highest individual award in the league, which makes ranking them almost impossible. As you may already know, the NBA MVP award is not always necessarily granted to the best player in the league. Several factors are typically taken into consideration when the media votes on the award including stats, team record, and impact on winning. When ranking the last 20 NBA MVPs, I took those factors into consideration as well.
Let’s emphasize that there is no perfect MVP and they’re most likely all equal in value, so humor me with this article.
Ranking the last 20 NBA MVPs.
1. 2013 LeBron James- 26.8 PTS, 8.0 REB, 7.3 AST, 1.7 STL .9 BLK, .565 FG%, . 406 3P%
The 2012-2013 NBA season helped solidify LeBron James as the greatest player in the world to the point where even the most die hard Kobe Bryant fans couldn’t argue. James was not only statistically dominant, he lead the Miami Heat to a league best 66-16 record, and ultimately an NBA champion.
He was arguably the best defender in the NBA as well. When you consider his calendar year, not winning the DPOY award hurts.
He went from winning the 2012 MVP and Finals MVP to winning a gold medal in London that summer, to go on and win another MVP and finals MVP.
I’d put up LeBron James’ calendar year from the 2012 NBA Finals to winning the 2013 NBA Finals against any player in league history.
2. 2003 Tim Duncan- 23.3 PTS, 12.9 REB, 3.9 AST, 2.9 BLK, .513 FG%
Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett battled hard for both of the MVP and DPOY awards, landing them both in the top 4 of each voting rankings by the media. Tim Duncan would lead the Spurs to a 60 win season, and ultimately an NBA championship as the finals MVP.
It’s worth noting that the NBA was not as statically driven as it is today. Duncan was still playing in a very physical era, yet continued to dominate. Even as Bryant and Garnett were emerging as stars in their own right, Duncan felt like the best player among them at the time.
Worth noting, Duncan had to go through Kobe, Shaq, and the Lakers to get to the Western Conference Finals.
I believe Tim Duncan is one of the most under appreciated stars in NBA history. If a Duncan fan were to tell me Duncan is the GOAT, I’d have a difficult time arguing.
3. 2016 Wardell Stephen Curry II- 30.1 PTS, 5.4 REB, 6.7 AST, .504 FG%
The 2015-2016 season was as close to a perfect regular season as a team could have for the Golden State Warriors. Their MVP, Steph Curry, lead the Warriors to a NBA history best 73-9 record, which helped Steph Curry become the league’s first-ever unanimous NBA MVP.
Although the Warriors would get upset by LeBron James and the Cavaliers, fans would be remised to ignore the historical season that Curry had in 2016.
Curry remains the best point guard in the NBA on my top rankings.
4. 2017 Russell Westbrook- 31.6 PTS, 10.7 REB, 10.4 AST, .425 FG%
Growing up, Oscar’s triple-double season was a record most people thought would never be broken. While the triple-double may be more common today, fans should not ignore the historical season that Westbrook put together in 2017.
If there was one guy who could carry an empty OKC Thunder roster to the playoffs in 2017, it was probably Russell Westbrook. Westbrook’s heart and grit lead the Thunder to a 6th seed in the western conference.
Younger NBA fans may dismiss this MVP. However, I’m old enough to remember how respected the triple-double record was before Westbrook broke it.
5. 2019 Giannis Antetkounmpo- 27.7 PTS, 12.5 REB, 5.9 AST, 1.5 BLK, .578 FG%
2019 was the breakout year for Antetkounmpo that Bucks fans were waiting for. He lead the Bucks to a league best 60 win season. Antetkounmpo was doing it all for the Bucks, leading them in several impactful categories. The Bucks’ playoff struggles have lead trolls on the internet to dismiss Antetkounmpo as one of the best players in the league. That is not fair to Antetkounmpo, especially when considering that the MVP award is a regular season award.
Giannis Antetkounmpo’s story is one of the most inspirational ones in sports.
6. 2007 Dirk Nowitzki- 24.6 PTS, 8.9 REB, 3.4 AST, .502 FG%
When I think of the 2007 Mavericks, I think of Dirk Nowitzki’s 67 win season and losing to the Warriors in the first round of the playoffs, which is why his 2007 MVP campaign is often dismissed when ranking the last 20 MVPs.
I’d argue that it deserves its credit, considering Nowitzki’s surrounding cast is what I’d equate a team like the Trail Blazers or Heat in today’s NBA.
Nowitzki is also often credited with inspiring big men to step out and shoot the deep ball.
7. 2008 Kobe Bryant- 28.3 PTS, 6.3 REB, 5.4 AST, .459 FG%
There will forever be a stain on the NBA MVP award for the simple fact that Bryant has only won the award one time in his career.
8. 2021 Nikola Jokić- 26.4 PTS, 10.8 REB, 8.3 AST, .566 FG%, .388 3P%, .868 FT%
Nikola Jokić was not given this MVP award by default, he earned it. An argument can be made that no player has done more with less this season. Sometimes your best ability is availability. Jokić played in every single game during the 2021 regular season. Despite the Nuggets dealing with numerous injuries, Jokić still lead the Nuggets to a third season in the western conference.
How many teams can say “we’ll just have our center run the point” after losing their star pointguard?
Jokić does it all for the Nuggets. He is also one of the most skilled, if not the most skilled, center in NBA history. He is also the best passer at the center position in NBA history.
The future is very bright for Jokić and the Nuggets.
9. 2010 LeBron James- 29.7 PTS, 7.3 REB, 8.6 AST, 1.0 BLK, .503 FG%
The only thing stopping LeBron James that year was the surrounding cast the Cavaliers put around him. A disappointing season for the Cavaliers, yet shouldn’t hold back LeBron from ranking in the top 10 of the last 20 NBA MVPs.
10. 2009 LeBron James- 28.4 PTS, 7.6 REB, 7.2 AST, 1.1 BLK, .489 FG%
The passing of the torch had not occurred just yet, but LeBron James was reaching for it. James lead the Cavaliers to a league best 66 win season, and were virtually unbeatable at home.
Here is an entertaining exercise to try, ask teenagers if they know who Mo Williams is. After they have to research who he is, explain to them that that was the second best player on the Cavaliers that season and see their reaction.
11. 2018 James Harden- 31.6 PTS, 5.4 REB, 8.8 AST, .449 FG%
James Harden may be the GOAT of finishing 2nd place in the MVP voting. The scary thing about his MVP campaign is there is an argument that that wasn’t a top 3 season of his career. After being snubbed twice already, Harden found out first hand that winning cures all. A 65 win season for Harden was enough finally convince the media to give him the respect he felt he deserved.
12. 2020 Giannis Antetokounmpo- 29.5 PTS, 13.6 REB, 5.6 AST, 1.0 BLK, .553 FG%
Antetokounmpo is one of the very few people in NBA history who have won both the MVP and the DPOY awards in the same season. 2019 Antetokounmpo, but better.
13. 2014 Kevin Durant- 32.0 PTS, 7.4 REB, 5.5 AST, .503 FG%
An injured Westbrook paved the way for Durant to carry the Thunder for the remainder of the season. At 25 years old, Durant won the MVP award. The scary part? He has continued to improve year after year since then. Durant is arguably the greatest scorer in NBA history.
14. 2015 Wardell Stephen Curry II- 23.8 PTS, 4.3 REB, 7.7 AST, .487 FG%
Under his first year with Steve Kerr, Curry lead the Warriors to a 67 win season, and ultimately an NBA championship. If his 2016 regular season wasn’t so impressive, perhaps I would have had the 2015 season higher on my top 20 NBA MVPs rankings list.
15. 2004 Kevin Garnett- 24.2 PTS, 13.9 REB, 5.0 AST, 2.2 BLK, .449 FG%
Garnett and Duncan had been battling year after year for the title of the best power forward in the NBA. This year, Garnett arguably had the edge. He lead the Timberwolves to a western conference best 58-24 record. He was one of the forwards that helped redefine the game to what it is today.
When we think of the best two way players in NBA history, many of us think of Kevin Garnett.
16. 2012 LeBron James 27.1 PTS, 7.9 REB, 6.2 AST, .531 FG%
A redemption year for James and the Heat, James lead the Heat to a decent 46-20 season. The Heat were more focused on figuring out how to play with each other, and how to win together. James and the Heat accomplished just that.
Worth noting, the Miami Heat had a stacked roster and were the villains of the NBA.
17. 2002 Tim Duncan- 25.5 PTS, 12.7 REB, 3.7 AST, 2.5 BLK, .508 FG%
A young Tim Duncan was beginning to learn what winning meant at the NBA level as the star player. Duncan played in all 82 games that season, making his presence felt on both ends of the court and leading the Spurs to 58 win season.
Duncan is arguably the greatest power forward in NBA history.
18. 2011 Derrick Rose- 25.0 PTS, 4.1 REB, 7.7 AST, .445 FG%
Rose’s 2011 MVP campaign may not rank high on most people’s top 20 NBA MVP rankings. In addition to that, many believe this was a voter fatigue vote that should have gone to LeBron James. Despite all that, when I think of “MVP”, I think of Derrick Rose.
The people’s MVP.
19. 2005 Steve Nash- 15.5 PTS, 3.3 REB, 11.5 AST, .502 FG%
Should have been Kobe’s.
20. 2006 Steve Nash- 18.8 PTS, 4.2 REB, 10.5 AST, .512 FG%
Also Kobe’s.
Ultimately, all MVPs deserve our respect.
At the end of the day, I don’t actually think one MVP is more valuable than the other. Each of the members ranked on my top 20 MVP lists are MVPs in their own right. Each of them contributed vastly to their respective team’s success. An honorable mention must go out to Kevin Durant’s mom, the real MVP.
Care to argue Nash’s MVPs with me? Tweet me @tprx11!