Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder is the reigning NBA MVP after winning the award for the second straight season in 2026, beating out finalists Nikola Jokic and Victor Wembanyama. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar holds the record with six MVP awards, and the full list of every NBA Most Valuable Player since the award began in the 1955 to 1956 season is below.
NBA MVP Winners by Year
Year is the year the season ended; 2026 is the 2025 to 2026 season.
| Year | Player | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | Oklahoma City Thunder |
| 2025 | Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | Oklahoma City Thunder |
| 2024 | Nikola Jokic | Denver Nuggets |
| 2023 | Joel Embiid | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 2022 | Nikola Jokic | Denver Nuggets |
| 2021 | Nikola Jokic | Denver Nuggets |
| 2020 | Giannis Antetokounmpo | Milwaukee Bucks |
| 2019 | Giannis Antetokounmpo | Milwaukee Bucks |
| 2018 | James Harden | Houston Rockets |
| 2017 | Russell Westbrook | Oklahoma City Thunder |
| 2016 | Stephen Curry | Golden State Warriors |
| 2015 | Stephen Curry | Golden State Warriors |
| 2014 | Kevin Durant | Oklahoma City Thunder |
| 2013 | LeBron James | Miami Heat |
| 2012 | LeBron James | Miami Heat |
| 2011 | Derrick Rose | Chicago Bulls |
| 2010 | LeBron James | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 2009 | LeBron James | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 2008 | Kobe Bryant | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 2007 | Dirk Nowitzki | Dallas Mavericks |
| 2006 | Steve Nash | Phoenix Suns |
| 2005 | Steve Nash | Phoenix Suns |
| 2004 | Kevin Garnett | Minnesota Timberwolves |
| 2003 | Tim Duncan | San Antonio Spurs |
| 2002 | Tim Duncan | San Antonio Spurs |
| 2001 | Allen Iverson | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 2000 | Shaquille O’Neal | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1999 | Karl Malone | Utah Jazz |
| 1998 | Michael Jordan | Chicago Bulls |
| 1997 | Karl Malone | Utah Jazz |
| 1996 | Michael Jordan | Chicago Bulls |
| 1995 | David Robinson | San Antonio Spurs |
| 1994 | Hakeem Olajuwon | Houston Rockets |
| 1993 | Charles Barkley | Phoenix Suns |
| 1992 | Michael Jordan | Chicago Bulls |
| 1991 | Michael Jordan | Chicago Bulls |
| 1990 | Magic Johnson | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1989 | Magic Johnson | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1988 | Michael Jordan | Chicago Bulls |
| 1987 | Magic Johnson | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1986 | Larry Bird | Boston Celtics |
| 1985 | Larry Bird | Boston Celtics |
| 1984 | Larry Bird | Boston Celtics |
| 1983 | Moses Malone | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 1982 | Moses Malone | Houston Rockets |
| 1981 | Julius Erving | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 1980 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1979 | Moses Malone | Houston Rockets |
| 1978 | Bill Walton | Portland Trail Blazers |
| 1977 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1976 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1975 | Bob McAdoo | Buffalo Braves |
| 1974 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | Milwaukee Bucks |
| 1973 | Dave Cowens | Boston Celtics |
| 1972 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | Milwaukee Bucks |
| 1971 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (then Lew Alcindor) | Milwaukee Bucks |
| 1970 | Willis Reed | New York Knicks |
| 1969 | Wes Unseld | Baltimore Bullets |
| 1968 | Wilt Chamberlain | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 1967 | Wilt Chamberlain | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 1966 | Wilt Chamberlain | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 1965 | Bill Russell | Boston Celtics |
| 1964 | Oscar Robertson | Cincinnati Royals |
| 1963 | Bill Russell | Boston Celtics |
| 1962 | Bill Russell | Boston Celtics |
| 1961 | Bill Russell | Boston Celtics |
| 1960 | Wilt Chamberlain | Philadelphia Warriors |
| 1959 | Bob Pettit | St. Louis Hawks |
| 1958 | Bill Russell | Boston Celtics |
| 1957 | Bob Cousy | Boston Celtics |
| 1956 | Bob Pettit | St. Louis Hawks |
NBA MVP Facts
International players have won eight straight MVPs, starting with Giannis Antetokounmpo (2019, 2020) and continuing with Jokic (2021, 2022, 2024), Joel Embiid (2023) and Gilgeous-Alexander (2025, 2026). Players voted on the award through the 1979 to 1980 season, and a panel of media members has voted ever since. Stephen Curry’s 2016 win remains the only unanimous MVP in league history.
See the NBA MVP odds for 2026 to 2027, plus NBA Finals MVPs by year and NBA champions by year. Official records are available from NBA.com and Basketball Reference.