Winners
| ^ | Denotes player who is still active in the NBA |
| * | Elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame |
| Player (X) | Denotes the number of times the player has been named MVP |
| Team (X) | Denotes the number of times a player from this team has won |
| Season | Player | Position | Nationality | Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1955–56 | Pettit, BobBob Pettit* | Forward | United States | St. Louis Hawks |
| 1956–57 | Cousy, BobBob Cousy* | Guard | United States | Boston Celtics |
| 1957–58 | Russell, BillBill Russell* | Center | United States | Boston Celtics (2) |
| 1958–59 | Pettit, BobBob Pettit* (2) | Forward | United States | St. Louis Hawks (2) |
| 1959–60 | Chamberlain, WiltWilt Chamberlain* | Center | United States | Philadelphia Warriors |
| 1960–61 | Russell, BillBill Russell* (2) | Center | United States | Boston Celtics (3) |
| 1961–62 | Russell, BillBill Russell* (3) | Center | United States | Boston Celtics (4) |
| 1962–63 | Russell, BillBill Russell* (4) | Center | United States | Boston Celtics (5) |
| 1963–64 | Robertson, OscarOscar Robertson* | Guard | United States | Cincinnati Royals |
| 1964–65 | Russell, BillBill Russell* (5) | Center | United States | Boston Celtics (6) |
| 1965–66 | Chamberlain, WiltWilt Chamberlain* (2) | Center | United States | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 1966–67 | Chamberlain, WiltWilt Chamberlain* (3) | Center | United States | Philadelphia 76ers (2) |
| 1967–68 | Chamberlain, WiltWilt Chamberlain* (4) | Center | United States | Philadelphia 76ers (3) |
| 1968–69 | Unseld, WesWes Unseld* | Center/Forward | United States | Baltimore Bullets |
| 1969–70 | Reed, WillisWillis Reed* | Center/Forward | United States | New York Knicks |
| 1970–71 | Alcindor, LewLew Alcindor* | Center | United States | Milwaukee Bucks |
| 1971–72 | Abdul-Jabbar, KareemKareem Abdul-Jabbar* (2) | Center | United States | Milwaukee Bucks (2) |
| 1972–73 | Cowens, DaveDave Cowens* | Center | United States | Boston Celtics (7) |
| 1973–74 | Abdul-Jabbar, KareemKareem Abdul-Jabbar* (3) | Center | United States | Milwaukee Bucks (3) |
| 1974–75 | McAdoo, BobBob McAdoo* | Forward/Center | United States | Buffalo Braves |
| 1975–76 | Abdul-Jabbar, KareemKareem Abdul-Jabbar* (4) | Center | United States | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1976–77 | Abdul-Jabbar, KareemKareem Abdul-Jabbar* (5) | Center | United States | Los Angeles Lakers (2) |
| 1977–78 | Walton, BillBill Walton* | Center | United States | Portland Trail Blazers |
| 1978–79 | Malone, MosesMoses Malone* | Center/Forward | United States | Houston Rockets |
| 1979–80 | Abdul-Jabbar, KareemKareem Abdul-Jabbar* (6) | Center | United States | Los Angeles Lakers (3) |
| 1980–81 | Erving, JuliusJulius Erving* | Forward | United States | Philadelphia 76ers (4) |
| 1981–82 | Malone, MosesMoses Malone* (2) | Center/Forward | United States | Houston Rockets (2) |
| 1982–83 | Malone, MosesMoses Malone* (3) | Center/Forward | United States | Philadelphia 76ers (5) |
| 1983–84 | Bird, LarryLarry Bird* | Forward | United States | Boston Celtics (8) |
| 1984–85 | Bird, LarryLarry Bird* (2) | Forward | United States | Boston Celtics (9) |
| 1985–86 | Bird, LarryLarry Bird* (3) | Forward | United States | Boston Celtics (10) |
| 1986–87 | Johnson, MagicMagic Johnson* | Guard | United States | Los Angeles Lakers (4) |
| 1987–88 | Jordan, MichaelMichael Jordan* | Guard | United States | Chicago Bulls |
| 1988–89 | Johnson, MagicMagic Johnson* (2) | Guard | United States | Los Angeles Lakers (5) |
| 1989–90 | Johnson, MagicMagic Johnson* (3) | Guard | United States | Los Angeles Lakers (6) |
| 1990–91 | Jordan, MichaelMichael Jordan* (2) | Guard | United States | Chicago Bulls (2) |
| 1991–92 | Jordan, MichaelMichael Jordan* (3) | Guard | United States | Chicago Bulls (3) |
| 1992–93 | Barkley, CharlesCharles Barkley* | Forward | United States | Phoenix Suns |
| 1993–94 | Olajuwon, HakeemHakeem Olajuwon* | Center | United States | Houston Rockets (3) |
| 1994–95 | Robinson, DavidDavid Robinson* | Center | United States | San Antonio Spurs |
| 1995–96 | Jordan, MichaelMichael Jordan* (4) | Guard | United States | Chicago Bulls (4) |
| 1996–97 | Malone, KarlKarl Malone* | Forward | United States | Utah Jazz |
| 1997–98 | Jordan, MichaelMichael Jordan* (5) | Guard | United States | Chicago Bulls (5) |
| 1998–99 | Malone, KarlKarl Malone* (2) | Forward | United States | Utah Jazz (2) |
| 1999–00 | O'Neal, ShaquilleShaquille O'Neal | Center | United States | Los Angeles Lakers (7) |
| 2000–01 | Iverson, AllenAllen Iverson | Guard | United States | Philadelphia 76ers (6) |
| 2001–02 | Duncan, TimTim Duncan^ | Forward/Center | United States | San Antonio Spurs (2) |
| 2002–03 | Duncan, TimTim Duncan^ (2) | Forward/Center | United States | San Antonio Spurs (3) |
| 2003–04 | Garnett, KevinKevin Garnett^ | Forward | United States | Minnesota Timberwolves |
| 2004–05 | Nash, SteveSteve Nash^ | Guard | Canada | Phoenix Suns (2) |
| 2005–06 | Nash, SteveSteve Nash^ (2) | Guard | Canada | Phoenix Suns (3) |
| 2006–07 | Nowitzki, DirkDirk Nowitzki^ | Forward | Germany | Dallas Mavericks |
| 2007–08 | Bryant, KobeKobe Bryant^ | Guard | United States | Los Angeles Lakers (8) |
| 2008–09 | James, LeBronLeBron James^ | Forward | United States | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 2009–10 | James, LeBronLeBron James^ (2) | Forward | United States | Cleveland Cavaliers (2) |
| 2010–11 | Rose, DerrickDerrick Rose^ | Guard | United States | Chicago Bulls (6) |
| 2011–12 | James, LeBronLeBron James^ (3) | Forward | United States | Miami Heat |
Read more about this topic: NBA Most Valuable Player Award
Famous quotes containing the word winners:
“The two real political parties in America are the Winners and the Losers. The people don’t acknowledge this. They claim membership in two imaginary parties, the Republicans and the Democrats, instead.”
—Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. (b. 1922)