NBA
How many players have won the NBA MVP award 3 or more times?
The Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic will join an exclusive club if he fends off competition from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luka Doncic.
Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic could join an exclusive list on Wednesday (8 May), when we will discover whether the Serbian center is named NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) for the third time in his career.
When will the 2024 NBA MVP be announced?
The winner of the recipient of the 2024 award will be announced by the league at 7:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday, with Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks and the Oklahoma City Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander the other players in contention for the award.
Should Jokic pick up the trophy for the third time in four seasons, he will become only the eighth player in the history of the NBA to be named MVP on three occasions or more.
Which players have won at least three NBA MVP awards?
Three players have taken the gong a hat-trick of times, with the late Moses Malone winning twice with the Houston Rockets (1979, 1982) and once with the Philadelphia 76ers (1983). Magic Johnson’s treble came with the LA Lakers (1987, 1989, 1990), while Larry Bird of the Boston Celtics is one of three players to have been named MVP three years in a row (1984-1986).
LeBron James is the only current active player on the list, with two victories with the Cleveland Cavaliers (2009, 2010) and two with the Lakers (2012, 2013). Wilt Chamberlain is the other four-time winner, once with the Philadelphia Warriors (1960) and three successive times with the 76ers (1966, 1967, 1968).
Michael Jordan joint second on all-time MVP list
Michael Jordan is, of course, also in the conversation. MJ was MVP five times in 11 seasons (1988, 1991, 1992, 1996, 1998) with the Chicago Bulls, putting him in joint second spot along with legendary Celtics center Bill Russell (1958, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1965).
Players with 3+ NBA MVP awards
6: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1971, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1980)
5: Bill Russell (1958, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1965), Michael Jordan (1988, 1991, 1992, 1996, 1998)
4: Wilt Chamberlain (1960, 1966, 1967, 1968), LeBron James (2009, 2010, 2012, 2013)
3: Moses Malone (1979, 1982, 1983), Larry Bird (1984, 1985, 1986), Magic Johnson (1987, 1989, 1990)
But the man who stands out in front on his own with six awards is Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who completed MVP trebles with both the Milwaukee Bucks (1971, 1972, 1974) and the Lakers (1976, 1977, 1980). Abdul-Jabbar’s long-standing record for most appearances in the NBA All-Star Game (19) was recently surpassed by James, who will play for the 20th time in 2024.
As well as Jokic, the Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo and Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors could yet join the above list, with both players having been voted MVP twice during their time in the NBA.