We cover all you need to know about the NBA's Most Valuable Player Award, including the latest odds, past winners, when the award is announced, and more.
Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander won the award in 2024/25 as he led his team to a league-best 68-14 record while winning the scoring title.
SGA averaged 32.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, 6.5 assists to 2.4 turnovers, 1.7 steals, and 1.0 blocks while shooting 51.9 percent overall, 37.5 percent from three-point range, and 89.8 percent from the free-throw line in his award-winning season.
2025/26 NBA MVP Odds
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | -2200 |
Victor Wembanyama | +900 |
Nikola Jokic | +7500 |
Jaylen Brown | +30000 |
*Odds Updated: 4/6/2026
At -2200, SGA is the favorite to repeat as MVP. Coming off a dominating regular season and championship run last season, it's hard to argue against the player who has not skipped a beat in 2025/26.
Shai is a nightmare for opposing defenders with ability to get to his favorite spot on the floor, and get defenders in the air before he even elevates for a shot.
The Thunder's clutch bucket getter is averaging 31.4 points per game on an efficient 55.2% shooting from the field.
Victor Wembanyama is now the second favorite to win the award in just his third season. The 7' 5" Frenchman has led the San Antonio Spurs a top two seed in the Western Conference, and is by far the most impactful player in the league on the defensive end of the court.
Nikola Jokic (+7500) is hunting for this fourth MVP award, and is third in the odds.
He averaged 29.6 points, 12.7 rebounds, and 10.2 assists while shooting 57.6 percent from the field and 41.7 percent from three last season, and has pretty similar numbers this year.
Jokic was the best player in the NBA for the last five seasons, but a dip in wins and SGA's ascendance contributed to his runner-up finish last season, and SGA taking over as the top player in the association.
Jaylen Brown has the fourth best odds to win the league MVP, and for good reason. Brown elevated himself to an elite scoring level in the absence of his teammate Jayson Tatum, and since Tatum's return has maintained that level.
Brown has led the Celtics to the second best record in the East in what many expected to be a gap year from the playoffs.
NBA MVP Winners by Year
Year | Player | Position | Team |
2024/25 | Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | Point guard | Oklahoma City Thunder |
2023/24 | Nikola Jokić | Center | Denver Nuggets |
2022/23 | Joel Embiid | Center | Philadelphia 76ers |
2021/22 | Nikola Jokić | Center | Denver Nuggets |
2020/21 | Nikola Jokić | Center | Denver Nuggets |
2019/20 | Giannis Antetokounmpo | Power forward | Milwaukee Bucks |
2018/19 | Giannis Antetokounmpo | Power forward | Milwaukee Bucks |
2017/18 | James Harden | Shooting guard | Houston Rockets |
2016/17 | Russell Westbrook | Point guard | Oklahoma City Thunder |
2015/16 | Stephen Curry | Point guard | Golden State Warriors |
2014/15 | Stephen Curry | Point guard | Golden State Warriors |
2013/14 | Kevin Durant | Small forward | Oklahoma City Thunder |
2012/13 | LeBron James | Small forward | Miami Heat |
2011/12 | LeBron James | Small forward | Miami Heat |
2010/11 | Derrick Rose | Point guard | Chicago Bulls |
2009/10 | LeBron James | Small forward | Cleveland Cavaliers |
2008/09 | LeBron James | Small forward | Cleveland Cavaliers |
2007/08 | Kobe Bryant | Shooting guard | Los Angeles Lakers |
2006/07 | Dirk Nowitzki | Power forward | Dallas Mavericks |
2005/06 | Steve Nash | Point guard | Phoenix Suns |
2004/05 | Steve Nash | Point guard | Phoenix Suns |
2003/04 | Kevin Garnett | Power forward | Minnesota Timberwolves |
2002/03 | Tim Duncan | Power forward | San Antonio Spurs |
2001/02 | Tim Duncan | Power forward | San Antonio Spurs |
2000/01 | Allen Iverson | Shooting guard | Philadelphia 76ers |
1999/00 | Shaquille O'Neal | Center | Los Angeles Lakers |
1998/99 | Karl Malone | Power forward | Utah Jazz |
1997/98 | Michael Jordan | Shooting guard | Chicago Bulls |
1996/97 | Karl Malone | Power forward | Utah Jazz |
1995/96 | Michael Jordan | Shooting guard | Chicago Bulls |
1994/95 | David Robinson | Center | San Antonio Spurs |
1993/94 | Hakeem Olajuwon | Center | Houston Rockets |
1992/93 | Charles Barkley | Power forward | Phoenix Suns |
1991/92 | Michael Jordan | Shooting guard | Chicago Bulls |
1990/91 | Michael Jordan | Shooting guard | Chicago Bulls |
1989/90 | Magic Johnson | Point guard | Los Angeles Lakers |
1988/89 | Magic Johnson | Point guard | Los Angeles Lakers |
1987/88 | Michael Jordan | Shooting guard | Chicago Bulls |
1986/87 | Magic Johnson | Point guard | Los Angeles Lakers |
1985/86 | Larry Bird | Small forward | Boston Celtics |
1984/85 | Larry Bird | Small forward | Boston Celtics |
1983/84 | Larry Bird | Small forward | Boston Celtics |
1982/83 | Moses Malone | Center | Philadelphia 76ers |
1981/82 | Moses Malone | Center | Houston Rockets |
1980/81 | Julius Erving | Small forward | Philadelphia 76ers |
1979/80 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | Center | Los Angeles Lakers |
1978/79 | Moses Malone | Center | Houston Rockets |
1977/78 | Bill Walton | Center | Portland Trail Blazers |
1976/77 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | Center | Los Angeles Lakers |
1975/76 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | Center | Los Angeles Lakers |
1974/75 | Bob McAdoo | Center | Buffalo Braves |
1973/74 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | Center | Milwaukee Bucks |
1972/73 | Dave Cowens | Center | Boston Celtics |
1971/72 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | Center | Milwaukee Bucks |
1970/71 | Lew Alcindor | Center | Milwaukee Bucks |
1969/70 | Willis Reed | Center | New York Knicks |
1968/69 | Wes Unseld | Center | Baltimore Bullets |
1967/68 | Wilt Chamberlain | Center | Philadelphia 76ers |
1966/67 | Wilt Chamberlain | Center | Philadelphia 76ers |
1965/66 | Wilt Chamberlain | Center | Philadelphia 76ers |
1964/65 | Bill Russell | Center | Boston Celtics |
1963/64 | Oscar Robertson | Point guard | Cincinnati Royals |
1962/63 | Bill Russell | Center | Boston Celtics |
1961/62 | Bill Russell | Center | Boston Celtics |
1960/61 | Bill Russell | Center | Boston Celtics |
1959/60 | Wilt Chamberlain | Center | Philadelphia Warriors |
1958/59 | Bob Pettit | Power forward | St. Louis Hawks |
1957/58 | Bill Russell | Center | Boston Celtics |
1956/57 | Bob Cousy | Point guard | Boston Celtics |
1955/56 | Bob Pettit | Power forward | St. Louis Hawks |
NBA MVP announcement
The NBA MVP award is typically announced in May, after the regular season has ended and the playoffs have begun. However, there is no set date for the announcement, and the NBA may change the date each year.
The winner was announced on May 2 in 2023, May 8 in 2024, and May 21 in 2025.
NBA MVP voting
The NBA MVP award is voted on by a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. Each voter casts a first-place ballot for their choice for MVP, a second-place ballot, and so on. The player with the most first-place votes wins the award.
NBA MVP trophy
The NBA's Most Valuable Player receives the Michael Jordan Trophy. Named after five-time MVP Michael Jordan, the trophy was newly designed and named in 2022.
The bronze trophy stands 23.6 inches tall and weighs 23.6 pounds, representing Jordan’s jersey number (23) and the number of NBA titles he won (6).
Read the latest NBA news on site.
Odds displayed within this article were correct at the time of writing and are subject to change. Odds updated 4/6/2026.
