The NBA MVP award has been handed out since 1956, and almost every year, someone feels robbed. Some MVPs are unanimous. Others spark arguments that last decades. Here are the most controversial MVP races in league history.
2011: Derrick Rose over LeBron James
Derrick Rose became the youngest MVP in NBA history at age 22, leading the Bulls to the league's best record at 62-20. His stats — 25.0 points and 7.7 assists per game — were excellent. But LeBron James averaged 26.7 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 7.0 assists while shooting better from every area of the floor.
Why Rose won: Voter fatigue. LeBron had won two consecutive MVPs, and his controversial move to Miami ("The Decision") had turned public opinion against him. Rose was the feel-good story — a hometown kid carrying his team on his back.
The debate rages to this day. Was Rose truly the most valuable player, or was LeBron objectively better and simply unpopular?
2005 and 2006: Steve Nash's Back-to-Back
Steve Nash winning back-to-back MVPs over Shaquille O'Neal (2005) and Kobe Bryant (2006) remains one of the most debated stretches in award history.
In 2005, Nash averaged 15.5 points and 11.5 assists while leading the Suns to 62 wins. His numbers were modest by MVP standards, but the Suns' offensive revolution — the "Seven Seconds or Less" system — was entirely built around him.
In 2006, Kobe Bryant averaged 35.4 points per game — the most since Michael Jordan. But the Lakers were a mediocre 45-37 team, and voters rewarded Nash's team success over Kobe's individual dominance.
2017: Russell Westbrook over James Harden
Russell Westbrook averaged the first triple-double since Oscar Robertson: 31.6 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 10.4 assists. James Harden averaged 29.1 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 11.2 assists while leading the Rockets to 55 wins — compared to the Thunder's 47.
Westbrook won because the triple-double average was a historic milestone. Critics argued Harden was the better, more efficient player on the better team. The narrative carried the day.
1990: Magic Johnson over Charles Barkley and Michael Jordan
Magic Johnson won MVP with 22.3 points and 11.5 assists as the Lakers won 63 games. But Charles Barkley averaged 25.2 points and 11.5 rebounds, and Michael Jordan averaged 33.6 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 6.3 assists.
Jordan's Bulls won 55 games, and his per-game dominance was staggering. But the MVP has always weighted team success heavily, and the Lakers' league-best record tilted the vote toward Magic.
2001: Allen Iverson over Shaquille O'Neal and Tim Duncan
Allen Iverson won MVP averaging 31.1 points while carrying a Sixers team with no other All-Stars to 56 wins and a Finals appearance. Shaq was arguably more dominant (28.7 points, 12.7 rebounds with the defending champions), and Tim Duncan had a monster season (22.2 points, 12.2 rebounds, 2.3 blocks).
Iverson won on the narrative of a 6-foot guard carrying an entire franchise. His toughness, his crossover, and his against-all-odds story captured voters' imaginations.
2023: Joel Embiid over Nikola Jokic
Joel Embiid won his first MVP with 33.1 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 4.2 assists. Nikola Jokic, the defending two-time MVP, averaged 24.5 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 9.8 assists while leading the Nuggets to the championship.
The controversy: Jokic went on to win the Finals MVP that same year, leading many to argue he was clearly the most valuable player all season. Embiid won on individual scoring dominance and the Sixers' second-best record in the East.
What Makes an MVP?
The debate always comes down to definition:
- Best stats? Then it's usually the highest scorer or most versatile player
- Best record? Then it's the best player on the best team
- Most indispensable? Then it's the player whose team would fall apart without them
Different voters weigh these factors differently, which is why the debate never ends.
MVP history is a goldmine for trivia. Can you name every MVP since 2000? Test your award knowledge in Who Am I? and 2 Truths 1 Lie.