Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award

National Basketball Association awards and honors
Championship
Individual awards
Honors

The Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award (formerly known as the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award) is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) award given since the 1969 NBA Finals. The award is decided by a panel of eleven media members, who cast votes after the conclusion of the Finals. The person with the highest number of votes wins the award.[1] The award was originally a black trophy with a gold basketball-shaped sphere at the top, similar to the Larry O'Brien Trophy, until a new trophy was introduced in 2005 to commemorate Bill Russell.[2][3]

Since its inception, the award has been given to 30 different players. Michael Jordan is a record six-time award winner.[4] Magic Johnson, Shaquille O'Neal, Tim Duncan and LeBron James won the award three times in their careers. Jordan and O'Neal are the only players to win the award in three consecutive seasons (Jordan accomplished the feat on two separate occasions). Johnson is the only rookie ever to win the award,[5] as well as the youngest at 20 years old.[6] Andre Iguodala is the only winner to have not started every game in the series.[7] Jerry West, the first ever awardee, is the only person to win the award while being on the losing team in the NBA Finals.[4] Willis Reed, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Larry Bird, Hakeem Olajuwon and Kobe Bryant won the award twice. Olajuwon, Bryant, and James have won the award in two consecutive seasons. Abdul-Jabbar and James are the only players to win the award for two different teams. Olajuwon of Nigeria, who became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1993, Tony Parker of France, and Dirk Nowitzki of Germany are the only international players to win the award. Duncan is an American citizen, but is considered an "international" player by the NBA because he was not born in one of the fifty states or Washington, D.C.[8] Parker and Nowitzki are the only winners to have been trained totally outside the U.S.; Olajuwon played college basketball at Houston and Duncan at Wake Forest. Cedric Maxwell is the only Finals MVP winner eligible for the Hall of Fame who has not been voted in.[9]

On February 14, 2009, during the 2009 NBA All-Star Weekend in Phoenix, then-NBA Commissioner David Stern announced that the award would be renamed the "Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award" in honor of 11-time NBA champion Bill Russell.[10]

Winners

head shot of Jerry West
Jerry West, the inaugural recipient, is the only player to win the award while being on the losing team.
head shot of Magic Johnson
Magic Johnson is the only player to win the award as a rookie.
head shot of Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan has won the award a record six times.
Shaquille O'Neal is the only player other than Michael Jordan to have won the award three times consecutively.
Tony Parker (bottom) is the first European player to win the award.
LeBron James (pictured) and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar are the only players to win the award for two different teams.
^ Denotes player who is still active in the NBA
* Elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
§ Player's team lost the NBA Finals
Player (X) Denotes the number of times the player has received the Finals MVP award
Team (X) Denotes the number of times a player from this team has received the Finals MVP award
Year Player Position Nationality Team
1969 West, JerryJerry West* Guard  United States Los Angeles Lakers §
1970 Reed, WillisWillis Reed* Center/Forward  United States New York Knicks
1971 Alcindor, LewLew Alcindor*[lower-alpha 1] Center  United States Milwaukee Bucks
1972 Chamberlain, WiltWilt Chamberlain* Center  United States Los Angeles Lakers (2)
1973 Reed, WillisWillis Reed* (2) Center/Forward  United States New York Knicks (2)
1974 Havlicek, JohnJohn Havlicek* Forward/Guard  United States Boston Celtics
1975 Barry, RickRick Barry* Forward  United States Golden State Warriors
1976 White, Jo JoJo Jo White* Guard  United States Boston Celtics (2)
1977 Walton, BillBill Walton* Center  United States Portland Trail Blazers
1978 Unseld, WesWes Unseld* Center/Forward  United States Washington Bullets
1979 Johnson, DennisDennis Johnson* Guard  United States Seattle SuperSonics
1980 Johnson, MagicMagic Johnson*[lower-alpha 2] Guard  United States Los Angeles Lakers (3)
1981 Maxwell, CedricCedric Maxwell Forward  United States Boston Celtics (3)
1982 Johnson, MagicMagic Johnson* (2) Guard  United States Los Angeles Lakers (4)
1983 Malone, MosesMoses Malone* Center  United States Philadelphia 76ers
1984 Bird, LarryLarry Bird* Forward  United States Boston Celtics (4)
1985 Abdul-Jabbar, KareemKareem Abdul-Jabbar*[lower-alpha 3] (2) Center  United States Los Angeles Lakers (5)
1986 Bird, LarryLarry Bird* (2) Forward  United States Boston Celtics (5)
1987 Johnson, MagicMagic Johnson* (3) Guard  United States Los Angeles Lakers (6)
1988 Worthy, JamesJames Worthy* Forward  United States Los Angeles Lakers (7)
1989 Dumars, JoeJoe Dumars* Guard  United States Detroit Pistons
1990 Thomas, IsiahIsiah Thomas* Guard  United States Detroit Pistons (2)
1991 Jordan, MichaelMichael Jordan* Guard  United States Chicago Bulls
1992 Jordan, MichaelMichael Jordan* (2) Guard  United States Chicago Bulls (2)
1993 Jordan, MichaelMichael Jordan* (3) Guard  United States Chicago Bulls (3)
1994 Olajuwon, HakeemHakeem Olajuwon* Center  United States[lower-alpha 4] Houston Rockets
1995 Olajuwon, HakeemHakeem Olajuwon* (2) Center  United States[lower-alpha 4] Houston Rockets (2)
1996 Jordan, MichaelMichael Jordan* (4) Guard  United States Chicago Bulls (4)
1997 Jordan, MichaelMichael Jordan* (5) Guard  United States Chicago Bulls (5)
1998 Jordan, MichaelMichael Jordan* (6) Guard  United States Chicago Bulls (6)
1999 Duncan, TimTim Duncan Forward/Center  United States[lower-alpha 5] San Antonio Spurs
2000 O'Neal, ShaquilleShaquille O'Neal* Center  United States Los Angeles Lakers (8)
2001 O'Neal, ShaquilleShaquille O'Neal* (2) Center  United States Los Angeles Lakers (9)
2002 O'Neal, ShaquilleShaquille O'Neal* (3) Center  United States Los Angeles Lakers (10)
2003 Duncan, TimTim Duncan (2) Forward/Center  United States[lower-alpha 5] San Antonio Spurs (2)
2004 Billups, ChaunceyChauncey Billups Guard  United States Detroit Pistons (3)
2005 Duncan, TimTim Duncan (3) Forward/Center  United States[lower-alpha 5] San Antonio Spurs (3)
2006 Wade, DwyaneDwyane Wade^ Guard  United States Miami Heat
2007 Parker, TonyTony Parker^ Guard  France[lower-alpha 6] San Antonio Spurs (4)
2008 Pierce, PaulPaul Pierce Forward  United States Boston Celtics (6)
2009 Bryant, KobeKobe Bryant Guard  United States Los Angeles Lakers (11)
2010 Bryant, KobeKobe Bryant (2) Guard  United States Los Angeles Lakers (12)
2011 Nowitzki, DirkDirk Nowitzki^ Forward  Germany Dallas Mavericks
2012 James, LeBronLeBron James^ Forward  United States Miami Heat (2)
2013 James, LeBronLeBron James^ (2) Forward  United States Miami Heat (3)
2014 Leonard, KawhiKawhi Leonard^ Forward  United States San Antonio Spurs (5)
2015 Iguodala, AndreAndre Iguodala^ Forward/Guard  United States Golden State Warriors (2)
2016 James, LeBronLeBron James^ (3) Forward  United States Cleveland Cavaliers
2017 Durant, KevinKevin Durant^ Forward  United States Golden State Warriors (3)

Multi-time winners

PlayerTeam(s)No.Years
Jordan, MichaelMichael JordanChicago Bulls61991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998
Johnson, MagicMagic Johnson Los Angeles Lakers 3 1980, 1982, 1987
O'Neal, ShaquilleShaquille O'Neal Los Angeles Lakers 2000, 2001, 2002
Duncan, TimTim Duncan San Antonio Spurs 1999, 2003, 2005
James, LeBronLeBron James Miami Heat (2), Cleveland Cavaliers (1) 2012, 2013, 2016
Reed, WillisWillis Reed New York Knicks 2 1970, 1973
Abdul-Jabbar, KareemKareem Abdul-Jabbar Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Lakers 1971, 1985
Bird, LarryLarry Bird Boston Celtics 1984, 1986
Olajuwon, HakeemHakeem Olajuwon Houston Rockets 1994, 1995
Bryant, KobeKobe Bryant Los Angeles Lakers 2009, 2010

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Before the 1971–72 season, Lew Alcindor changed his name to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.[11]
  2. ↑ At 20 years and 276 days old, Johnson is the youngest Finals MVP winner in history.[12]
  3. ↑ At 38 years and 54 days old, Abdul-Jabbar is the oldest Finals MVP winner in history.[13]
  4. 1 2 Hakeem Olajuwon was born in Nigeria, but became a naturalized United States citizen in 1993.[14]
  5. 1 2 3 Because Tim Duncan is a United States citizen by birth, as are all natives of the U.S. Virgin Islands,[15] he was able to play for the U.S. internationally.[16]
  6. ↑ Tony Parker was born in Belgium. He holds French citizenship and plays for their national team.[17]

References

General
Specific
  1. ↑ "Kevin Durant Wins 2017 NBA Finals MVP After Winning 1st Title with Warriors". Bleacher Report. Retrieved June 17, 2017.
  2. ↑ "Game 5 Notebook: Billups Wins MVP". NBA/Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Retrieved July 16, 2008.
  3. ↑ "Spurs crowned NBA champions". CBC Sports. June 24, 2005. Retrieved July 16, 2008.
  4. 1 2 "Finals Most Valuable Player". NBA/Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Retrieved July 14, 2008.
  5. ↑ "Magic Johnson Bio". NBA/Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Retrieved October 21, 2010.
  6. ↑ Scott, Nate (June 16, 2014). "Kawhi Leonard is third youngest NBA Finals MVP ever". USA Today. Archived from the original on June 16, 2014.
  7. ↑ Strauss, Ethan Sherwood (June 16, 2015). "Andre Iguodala named Finals MVP after coming off bench to begin series". ESPN.com. Archived from the original on June 17, 2015.
  8. ↑ "Bargnani becomes first European top NBA draft pick". People's Daily Online. June 29, 2006. Retrieved June 16, 2008.
  9. ↑ https://sports.yahoo.com/news/nba--danny-green-spurs-nba-finals-3-pointers-cedric-maxwell-224343936.html
  10. ↑ "The Finals MVP to Receive Bill Russell MVP Award". NBA/Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. February 14, 2009. Archived from the original on February 17, 2009. Retrieved February 14, 2009.
  11. ↑ "Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Bio". NBA. Retrieved August 4, 2008.
  12. ↑ "Magic Johnson 1979-80 Game Log". basketball-reference. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
  13. ↑ "Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 1984-85 Game Log". basketball-reference. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
  14. ↑ "Hakeem Olajuwon Bio: 1992-93". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Archived from the original on May 16, 2008. Retrieved June 15, 2008.
  15. ↑ "Virgin Islands". CIA World Factbook. Retrieved August 12, 2008.
  16. ↑ "All-Time USA Basketball Men's Roster: D". USA Basketball. Archived from the original on August 28, 2009. Retrieved June 16, 2008.
  17. ↑ "Parker will be speedy foe for Nets". Sports Illustrated. Time Warner Company. June 2, 2003. Retrieved October 17, 2010.

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