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The best NBA MVP seasons ever | Top 5
As we approach another NBA postseason, it won’t be long before talk turns to the identity of the 2021 NBA MVP. Nikola Jokic is the heavy favourite to win the prestigious award this season, while Joel Embiid, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Stephen Curry are the likeliest contenders to capitalise if there is an upset. However, which iconic company will the eventual winner be joining? We take a look at the five greatest NBA MVP seasons of all time.
5 of the best NBA MVP seasons ever
5. LeBron James, 2013
We get our top five best NBA MVP seasons ever off and running with four-time winner LeBron James who won the most recent of his well deserved quadruple of titles back in 2012/13.
James helped the Miami Heat to the second longest winning streak in NBA history (27 games), which formed part of their triumphant Championship charge. Along the way, James averaged 26.8 points, 7.3 assists and 8.0 rebounds from 76 regular season appearances, giving him a league leading efficiency rating for the sixth season on the spin. Can he land another one in 2021?
4. Wilt Chamberlain, 1960
Chamberlain might feel hard done by to sit fourth on our list and he may have ranked higher if it was a more comparable era. Even in a world where the game was more high scoring, his numbers were still pretty sensational.
He dominated the league taking 27.0 rebounds and registering 37.6 points per game. What made his displays all the more impressive was the fact he turned in one of the best NBA MVP seasons of all time in his rookie year. Mind you, what else would you expect from a Globetrotter?
3. Shaquille O’Neal, 2000
The monstrous figure of Shaquille O’Neal might have only won the MVP award once but he sure did it with style as he and Kobe Bryant carried the LA Lakers to the Championship crown. O’Neal sank 57% of his field goal attempts on his way to a league leading and career high 29.7 points average. He also posted his personal best for assists per game (3.8) whilst his blocks (3.0) and rebounds (13.6) were the best numbers he registered since his debut season back in 1992/93.
2. Kareem Abdul-Jabbbar, 1972
By 1972, 24-year-old Jabbar already had a MVP award to his name after helping the Milwaukee Bucks to Championship glory in the 1970/71 season. Despite the team not achieving the same feat in 71/72, Jabbar’s displays went up a notch and it is that season that makes our list of the best NBA MVP seasons of all time.
“Mr Skyhook” recorded a game average of 34.8 points to lead the league and, although the stat wasn’t tracked at the time, he was dominant with his blocking game too. On top of that, his personal efficiency rating was some 6.8 ahead of his nearest challenger going to show just how strong his all round game was.
1. Michael Jordan, 1988
Sitting at the top of our list is, of course, Michael Jordan, the greatest basketball player ever and the richest sportsman of all time. Jordan won a total of five MVP awards in his career but his first was the best of them all.
He started in all 82 games leading the league in minutes per game and that proved his platform to boss almost every other area too. 35.0 points per game was another NBA leading stat whilst his 1.6 blocks and 3.2 steals (another league leading statistic) were career highs for Jordan. The only thing that would have made it sweeter was a Championship win but don’t feel too bad for him as he retired with a fair few of them in the bank too.
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