A History of Top-Five MVP Finishes

20 min readMay 14, 2022

Editor’s Note — This article was originally published in April 2021 and does not reflect the 2021 and 2022 MVP results.

We’ve got a lot to cover with this entry so I’ll limit the preamble, but be sure to check out part one for some info on the series and a review of top-two MVP finishers, and part two for a review of top-three finishers. In this section, we’ll expand the scope to review top-five finishers.

Hypothetical — What if the MVP award recognized the five best players in the league instead of the single best?

Notes — MVP-winning seasons are listed in bold, players making their first appearance are italicized, and the number of added appearances since the previous article follows the listed years.

Fifteen Top-Five Finishes

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1984, 1985, 1986) +6

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar accomplished top-five MVP finishes sixteen years apart. Within the seventeen seasons that comprised this stretch, he only finished outside of the top five twice. The player who won MVP in the first year of Kareem’s streak (Willis Reed) retired a full five seasons before the rookie campaign of the player who won MVP in the last year of Kareem’s streak (Larry Bird). Perhaps most astonishing, Kareem played ten seasons of at least 80 games (including five full 82 game seasons) in this streak. Additionally, he didn’t join the league until age 22 after four years at UCLA. It is entirely likely that he would’ve earned another one or two top-five appearances had he joined the NBA even earlier, as is commonplace for today’s superstars. Overall, nobody has been as good, or as durable, for as long as Kareem. When it comes to wins, stability, and seasonal MVP placement, Kareem is unmatched. As a result, though he is often confusingly left out of the GOAT debate, his MVP output gives him a strong case for having the most valuable career of all time.

Fourteen Top-Five Finishes

LeBron James (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020) +3

Of course, if anyone were to replicate Kareem’s mammoth feats of longevity and peak performance, it’s LeBron James. In fact, LeBron has the most combined NBA MVP win shares of all time. As of this writing, LeBron seems like a solid bet to earn another top-five finish in his career to equal Kareem’s streak. Furthermore, I think he has the potential to do one better. LeBron is currently 36 years-old and Kareem was 38 at the time of his final top-five nod. It is certainly possible, even likely, for LeBron to retain his stature among the league’s best through age 38 and, potentially, beyond. Unfortunately, he recently suffered a high ankle sprain in the ongoing 2021 season that will likely prevent him from collecting another top-five finish this year, but it still feels plausible that he could garner spots in the top five in both 2022 and 2023 to surpass Kareem’s haul.

It should also be highlighted that Kareem and LeBron are in a league of their own in this exercise, as LeBron has three more top-five appearances than the next closest competitors…

Eleven Top-Five Finishes

Kobe Bryant (2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013) +6
Bill Russell (1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1969) +2

Kobe’s trajectory in this series has been odd. He started off among a large group of players tied with just two top-two finishes. His three third-place finishes propelled him into a tie for eighth with eight other players at five top-three finishes. Finally, his six additional top-five finishes¹ thrust Kobe past Wilt, Jordan, Bird, and Magic into a tie with Russell for the third most top-five MVP appearances ever. This illustrates the power of perspective — If someone reviewed just Kobe’s career top-two finishes then they might conclude that he is overrated, but if that same person reviewed just Kobe’s career top-five finishes they might conclude that he is underrated.

The range and style of Kobe’s success also deserves recognition. Having Shaq as a teammate in the early 2000s created a sizeable obstacle to MVP recognition for Kobe, as many (understandably) felt that Shaq was clearly the best player on the team at the time². This makes Kobe’s top-five finishes in 2002, 2003, and 2004 more remarkable, as it speaks to just how impactful he had to be to earn that acknowledgement. The absence of 2005 from the list is also important, as it was a result of the league’s shifting opinion on Kobe due to his role in Shaq’s departure from the team, the Lakers’ lack of on-court success, his reputation as “un-coachable,” his perception as a ball-hog, and, most importantly, his sexual assault case³. These issues could be devastating to a career, but Kobe’s return to the top five in 2006 and 2007 signaled both he and the NBA accepting his stature in the league, warts and all. His remaining finishes reflected his respect around the league and proved he could lead a Shaq-less team to success. Overall, the spectrum of factors throughout his career that impacted both his perception and his ability to succeed on the court was wide, which makes his continued ability to finish in the top five all the more impressive.

Ten Top-Five Finishes

Wilt Chamberlain (1960, 1961, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1972, 1973) +3
Michael Jordan (1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998) +0

Nine Top-Five Finishes

Larry Bird (1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988) +1
Tim Duncan (1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007) +4
Magic Johnson (1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991) +0
Karl Malone (1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000) +4
Oscar Robertson (1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1971)

When it comes to MVP voting, Tim Duncan’s back-to-back wins are obviously his greatest achievement, but I believe his next most impressive accomplishment isn’t reflected in the data above. Tim Duncan turned 36 during the 2012–13 season. Duncan was still a great player and the Spurs were still title contenders, but he was coming off four-straight seasons of mild-to-no MVP consideration. Yet, in 2013 a revitalized Duncan finished seventh in MVP voting, as well as earning a First Team All-NBA spot and eleven first-place DPOY votes. His scoring increased by 2.4 per game (1.8 per possession), his TS% returned to the levels of his mid-20s prime, he climbed back to nearly ten rebounds per game, he posted his best individual defensive rating since 2008, and achieved his highest blocks per game average since 2004! Most importantly, the Spurs won 58 games. His numbers fell again the following season, but the Spurs still dominated the league and won the title with Duncan as a central figure.

It’s easy to remember Duncan’s dominance from the first two-thirds of his career since it was some of the best basketball ever played, but I hope the final third of his career is also appropriately remembered by NBA fans. He may not have been MVP caliber anymore, but his output for a late-30s center in the modern game is astounding and the 2013 season encapsulates it perfectly. Simply put, 2013 was a masterclass in aging beautifully for a big man in the NBA.

Eight Top-Five Finishes

Shaquille O’Neal (1994, 1995, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005) +3
Bob Pettit (1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1963, 1964) +3
Jerry West (1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1970, 1971, 1972) +3

Bob Pettit probably would have had a ninth top-five MVP finish if the award had existed during his rookie season in 1955. He made First Team All-NBA that year and proceeded to earn nine more consecutive First Team selections. His value is also well-reflected in the MVP consideration he regularly received. Even in 1962 when he missed out on the top five, he still finished in sixth.

However, when it comes to contemporary media, Pettit is likely one of the most under-appreciated superstars the league has ever seen. He’s the only big man of the era to regularly trouble Russell and Wilt for MVP recognition, but he gets lost in retrospection behind Russell’s radical defense and Wilt’s juggernaut offense. Still, Pettit’s got a pedigree that many modern superstars would salivate over — a title, two MVPs, and a career stat line that would practically glitter if it weren’t in the shadow of his colossal counterparts in Boston and Philly. If nothing else, at least Pettit will go down in history as the league’s inaugural MVP, and a deserving one at that.

Seven Top-Five Finishes

Elgin Baylor (1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1969) +3

I touched on Elgin in the last entry, but the legend passed away at the age of 86 in the time since that post and I wanted to highlight him one more time. Baylor was truly transformational, but he may never receive the recognition he deserves for being the first player to translate playground panache into hardwood prowess. I’m glad he currently holds the solitary spot here with seven top-five MVP finishes so he can deservedly reap some solo attention, because so much of his career was defined in relation to others — As Jordan’s precursor, as Jerry West’s partner, or as one of the many Black players of his era relentlessly pushing for equality and respect. Baylor genuinely seemed to be content to share these spotlights and allow others to shine and I’m glad his legacy will carry on in those regards, but he was a singular talent who should also always be remembered in his own right. R.I.P.

Six Top-Five Finishes

Kevin Durant (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016) +2
Patrick Ewing (1989, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995) +6
James Harden (2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020) +1
Hakeem Olajuwon (1986, 1989, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996) +4

Patrick Ewing is this article’s first debutant with an amazing six top-five MVP appearances without ever breaching the top three. The next closest debutant has half of Ewing’s output at three.

Patrick Ewing is inextricably linked to Hakeem Olajuwon and David Robinson as one of the era-defining centers of the bruising 1990s NBA. However, it feels like nearly every non-New York based media outlet is likely to place Olajuwon and Robinson ahead of Ewing in the pantheon of NBA greats. The core evidence behind this claim is that Hakeem and the Admiral each have at least one MVP, DPOY, and championship, whereas Ewing has none. This argument is understandable, but it is a great disservice to Ewing. Even if Ewing never reached the peaks of his counterparts, he was still incredibly close and the gap between the three players is much narrower than many would assume.

Ewing may be trophy-less, but he was in close contention for each of the major awards throughout his prime from 1989 to 1995. Although he never won MVP, the finishes listed above reflect a player regularly in the conversation in this timeframe⁴. Although he never won a DPOY, he received at least one first place vote in four of the seven seasons and led the league in prominent defensive advanced metrics on several occasions. Although he never won a title, five of his seven playoff loses came against teams that subsequently won the title⁵. And although he never reached the peaks of Robinson and Olajuwon during this time frame, his overall stats and averages are very similar and reflect a player able to compete with them on a nightly basis.

Overall, Ewing is a prime example of the consequences of focusing on what a player did not accomplish as opposed to how well they played. Ewing is one of the best centers of all time, he may even have been neck-and-neck with Olajuwon and Robinson, but he doesn’t typically get the corresponding praise. Six top-five MVP appearances is indicative of an all-time great, and hopefully future generations will choose to focus on Ewing’s game instead of his counterparts and come away thinking the same.

Five Top-Five Appearances

Julius Erving (1977, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983) +2
Kevin Garnett (2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2008) +1
Moses Malone (1979, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1985) +1
David Robinson (1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1996) +0

Four Top-Five Appearances

Charles Barkley (1988, 1990, 1991, 1993) +2
Bob Cousy (1956, 1957, 1959, 1960) +2
Dave Cowens (1973, 1974, 1975, 1976) +1
George Gervin (1978, 1979, 1980, 1981) +1
Dwight Howard (2008, 2009, 2010, 2011) +3
Chris Paul (2008, 2009, 2012, 2013) +2
Russell Westbrook (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018) +3

Dwight Howard’s post-Orlando career has soured his reputation amongst many basketball fans and media members. The focus on his childishness and occasional inability to mesh with teammates or a team’s preferred game plan is warranted, but it shouldn’t cloud just how powerful and effective he was during his five-year peak with the Magic from 2007 to 2012. Dwight was arguably the second-best player in the league for much of this stretch and was probably the very best defensive player for the entirety of this run. Apart from the glaring weakness at the free throw line, there are few holes in his game and both his counting stats and advanced stats were regularly among the league leaders. Most importantly, these teams had a .654 winning percentage and an NBA Finals appearance⁶. Peak Dwight was no joke and this five-year stretch is arguably one of the best of any player of the past twenty years, so his spot on this list feels warranted in spite of what recency bias may have some NBA fans feeling about modern day Dwight.

Chris Paul can be similarly divisive amongst modern NBA fans. Advanced stats indicate CP3 as the one and only true Point God, but dissenters dismiss this due to his lack of postseason success⁷ and general peskiness. However you feel, it is inarguable that Chris Paul is one of the only modern-era players to overcome the little-man bias when it comes to MVP appreciation⁸. The eye test has always been kind to Paul, as his acumen and impact are easily identifiable in any game, so it’s little wonder that MVP voters are drawn to his game. That being said, it can be reasonably argued that he is unfortunate not to have even more top=five MVP appearances. His numbers from 2014 through 2016 are as good, perhaps even better, than his preceding seasons that did garner top-five consideration. He managed sixth place finishes in 2015 and 2016 and seventh-place finishes in 2014 and 2020. All in all, the level of success he’s experienced for someone barely six feet tall is astounding.

Lastly, Bob Cousy was First Team All-NBA in 1952, 1953, 1954, and 1955. He led the league in assists in four of those seasons, he was regularly among the league leaders in scoring, and his Celtics had some of the best records in the league in this span. As such, it seems likely that Cousy would have at least a couple more top-five MVP appearances had the award existed in that period.

Three Top-Five Appearances

Paul Arizin (1956, 1957, 1959) +1
Rick Barry (1967, 1975, 1976) +3
Stephen Curry (2015, 2016, 2019) +1
Elvin Hayes (1974, 1975, 1979) +1
Allen Iverson (1999, 2001, 2005) +2
Kawhi Leonard (2016, 2017, 2020) +1
Steve Nash (2005, 2006, 2007) +0
Willis Reed (1969, 1970, 1971) +1
Bob McAdoo (1974, 1975, 1976) +0
Dirk Nowitzki (2005, 2006, 2007) +0
Dolph Schayes (1956, 1957, 1958) +2
Dominique Wilkins (1986, 1987, 1993) +2

Rick Barry joins the crowd in this section, but it’s tough not to focus on the eight-year gap between his first and second top-five finishes. Of course, this is a result of Barry’s infamous sojourn to the ABA. Barry did earn three top-five MVP finishes in the ABA during this span, but I’ve often wondered if he would have earned more if he had stayed in the NBA.

Barry’s ABA tenure was star-crossed. He was forced to sit out the entire 1968 campaign for legal reasons resulting from the league switch and he was limited to 35 games in 1969 due to injury (missing his team’s title run as a result), 52 games in 1970 resulting from a holdout, and 59 games in 1971 due to injury. His numbers continued to shine throughout this span (particularly his eye-popping .301 WS/48 in his 35 games in 1969) and resulted in top-five finishes in each season⁹.

However, had he stayed in the NBA, he would’ve had an additional bite at the apple as a result of not having to sit out the 1968 season, he may have had better injury luck, he likely wouldn’t have held out in 1970, and he would’ve been peaking during the NBA’s brief window of transition from Russell and Wilt’s dominance to Kareem’s dominance. If he were able to post numbers similar to his ABA totals or his later NBA totals, then it is very possible he could’ve earned three or more additional top-five MVP finishes in the NBA.

Of course, Barry was a lightning rod for controversy and had the prickliest of personalities, so it is likely that a separate myriad of issues would crop up in place of the ones listed above. It should also be pointed out that he did not achieve top-five finishes in his first two years back in the NBA in 1973 and 1974. So perhaps Barry was too much of a complex, enigmatic nomad (i.e., a jerk) to have award recognition come easily, but his relentless scoring and poor ABA luck will always make me wonder what NBA life in the late 60s and early 70s would have looked like if this maverick had remained in the fold.

Also of note, similar to Cousy in the previous section, Dolph Schayes had four First Team All-NBA finishes prior to the inaugural NBA MVP award in 1956 and likely would have had more top-five finishes if MVP voting had taken place before then. Paul Arizin also had one First Team All-NBA appearance prior to the onset of MVP voting and he likely would have had more if he had not missed the entire 1952 and 1953 seasons due to military service. As a result, both players deserve more shine than is reflected here.

Two Top-Five Finishes

Giannis Antetokounmpo (2019, 2020) +0
Tiny Archibald (1973, 1980) +1
Dave Bing (1968, 1971) +1
Billy Cunningham (1969, 1970) +1
Anthony Davis (2015, 2018) +1
Clyde Drexler (1988, 1992) +1
John Havlicek (1972, 1973) +2
Sam Jones (1965, 1966) +2
Jason Kidd (1999, 2002) +1
Bob Lanier (1974, 1977) +1
Tracy McGrady (2002, 2003) +2
Alonzo Mourning (1999, 2000) +0
Scottie Pippen (1994, 1995) +1
Dwyane Wade (2009, 2010) +1
Bill Walton (1977, 1978) +0
George Yardley (1957, 1958) +1

Scottie Pippen’s 1994 third-place finish is understandably considered to be a crowning individual achievement in his career, as it allowed him to step out of Jordan’s shadow and cement his legacy as a capable leading man and offensive workhorse. However, I consider his 1996 fifth-place finish to be even more career-defining, as it reflected that even alongside a GOAT-caliber player in Jordan, Pippen’s contributions were finally recognized as being so valuable that they had to be recognized in the MVP vote. 1996 essentially proved that his public perception had evolved beyond the reductive sidekick role and into something more significant and meaningful, and that was long overdue.

In a similar vein, it’s great to see John Havlicek and Sam Jones pop up with multiple top-five appearances despite each often being remembered as supporting players for the dynasty Celtics. Both played significant chunks of their careers in the metaphorical and literal shadow of Bill Russell, but each managed to carve out their own incredible legacies. Jones was the clutch sharpshooter who could put the team over the top when he was needed most and Havlicek was the super-sub who could fill in the gaps by smothering opponents on defense and running rivals ragged on offense. Each perfected their role, and Havlicek expanded his in the wake of Russell’s retirement by increasing his stats across the board and winning two additional titles. Like Pippen, both are well-deserving of this individual recognition.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, Tracy McGrady accomplished his top-five MVP appearances as the one and only star for a middling Magic team. Despite lacking a Russell, Jordan, Pippen, Jones, or Havlicek, McGrady still delivered offensive masterpieces in 2002 and 2003. He actually had a higher PPG in 2001 and 2004¹⁰ than in 2002, but 2002 and 2003 represented the best mix of volume and efficiency of any stretch of his career. McGrady’s mammoth usage rate reflected the Magic’s dependence on him for offense, but he still managed to deliver. His move to Houston in 2004 to team with Yao Ming reduced his team’s reliance upon him. His on-court success improved, but he didn’t reach the same individual heights as Orlando and his subsequent injury problems prematurely ended his career altogether. Nevertheless, while 2002 and 2003 represent McGrady’s individual peak, he also achieved four other top-ten MVP appearances in his career.

One Top-Five Finish

Carmelo Anthony (2013), Chauncey Billups (2006), Terry Cummings (1985), Bob Dandridge (1979), Walter Davis (1978), Luka Doncic (2020), Walt Frazier (1970), Paul George (2019), Blake Griffin (2014), Connie Hawkins (1970), Spender Haywood (1972), Mel Hutchins (1956), Dennis Johnson (1980), Nikola Jokic (2019), Penny Hardaway (1996), Tim Hardaway (1997), Grant Hill (1997), Bernard King (1984), Damian Lillard (2018), Jerry Lucas (1966), Pete Maravich (1977), George McGinnis (1976), Kevin McHale (1987), Sidney Moncrief (1983), Joakim Noah (2014), Jermaine O’Neal (2004), Robert Parish (1982), Tony Parker (2012), Gary Payton (1998), Glen Rice (1997), Derrick Rose (2011), Dan Roundfield (1980), Bill Sharman (1956), Peja Stojakovic (2004), Maurice Stokes (1958), Isaiah Thomas (2017), Isiah Thomas (1984), David Thompson (1978), Nate Thurmond (1967), Wes Unseld (1969), Chris Webber (2001), Lenny Wilkens (1968), Gus Williams (1982)

There are twenty-nine new faces in this section and it’s a who’s who of the game’s underrated stars. Similar to the last article, I’ll refrain from covering the active and recently retired players like Billups, Doncic, Jokic, Lillard, Noah, Parker, Stojakovic, and Webber and instead focus on several of the older entries and underappreciated stars, in no particular order:

Perhaps the most shocking piece of info of this entire series for me was finding that Isaiah Thomas has as many top-five MVP finishes as Isiah Thomas. Detroit Isiah undoubtedly suffered from some little-man bias, but it’s still shocking to find that he didn’t have more MVP success.
Walt Frazier only having one top-five appearance feels criminal. His 1970 campaign was undoubtedly deserving, but his next three seasons are comparable statistically and his Knicks were still thriving. Even more surprisingly, he didn’t even receive a single vote in 1971! That leaves me shaking my head.
Sidney Moncrief is the quintessential unheralded star of the 1980s. For a five-year stretch, Moncrief was neck-and-neck with the very best the game had to offer and, more importantly, his Bucks were an ever-present contender. 1983 was the peak of Moncrief’s individual success with a Defensive Player of the Year award and top-five finishes in just about every major advanced stat.
Sandwiched between James Worthy and Dominique Wilkins at number 2 in the 1982 draft, perhaps Terry Cummings’ career was destined to be overshadowed. Nevertheless, Cummings regularly shined and was perhaps at his brightest after joining the Bucks for the 1984–85 season and sparking the team to 59 wins to go with his own stellar counting and advanced stats.
Spencer Haywood’s 1972 campaign was great, but his rookie season in the ABA in 1970 is truly spectacular. He won the MVP, led the Denver Rockets to 51 wins, and led the league in scoring, rebounding, win shares, and several other stats… all at the age of 20!
Similar to Haywood, George McGinnis had some dominant ABA totals prior to establishing himself as an NBA mainstay. Perhaps most impressively, McGinnis is the only player to come close to Julius Erving’s soaring ABA heights when he tied Dr. J for the ABA MVP in 1975.
Dennis Johnson and Dan Roundfield tied for fifth in MVP voting in 1980, with two first-place votes apiece. This fascinates me, as both players were defensive stalwarts in an era where offense took precedence in MVP voting. Both were well-deserving of the honor, and I wish NBA history had more instances like this where defensive greatness is recognized.
In 1997, Glen Rice was the first player to shoot over 45% from three on over five attempts per game. He wasn’t the first to shoot this much or this efficiently, but he was the first to combine volume and efficiency with this much success. Rice’s 1997 season is a key predecessor, albeit an oft-forgotten one, to the league’s modern three-point explosion.
Tim Hardaway’s early hype with the Warriors was massive, but his 1993 knee injury seemed to spell doom on his promising career. This makes his resurgent 1997 campaign leading a 61-win Heat team all the more impressive. This late career success is sometimes overshadowed by teammate Alonzo Mourning and surname counterpart Penny, but Hardaway’s on-court revival and off-court resilience should never be overlooked.
I already covered them in the inaugural article on Pittsburgh basketball, but Connie Hawkins and Maurice Stokes deserve some more attention here. It speaks volumes about Hawkins’ ability and respect that he was able to live up to the post-ABA hype with an astounding 1970 season in which he led the Suns to a 26-win improvement. And Stokes’ well-rounded skill was on full display in 1958 as he dominated the glass and established himself as an early prototype of the now-common Point Center position, finishing third in the league in assists.
Bob Dandridge was an underrated cog in the Bucks squads of the early 1970s that regularly contended for titles. After supporting Kareem and Oscar with the Bucks, he found himself alongside Hayes and Unseld in Washington, and yet he still broke through in 1979 for one of the best performances of his career.
Walter Davis finished fifth in MVP voting as a rookie and followed that up with a second straight All-NBA Second Team appearance as a sophomore. He retained All-Star form for much of the remainder of his career, but drug issues possibly played a role in preventing him from reaching top-five heights again.
Jerry Lucas posted some monster stat lines in the 1960s and was one of the few players who could challenge Russell and Wilt for a rebounding title, though the Royals were undoubtedly Oscar Robertson’s team and Lucas’ MVP hopes likely suffered as a result. Nevertheless, his output could not be ignored in 1966 when he earned his sole top-five appearance.
Much like the aforementioned Havlicek and Jones, Bill Sharman was a key contributor to the Celtics dynasty. However, Sharman’s top-five appearance occurred pre-Russell. Sharman’s sharp shooting set the standard for 1950s perimeter players.

And that brings this exercise to a close! There are still a ton of great players who didn’t get much focus in this series like Kevin Garnett, Moses Malone, Dave Cowens, and others, though I didn’t want to make these posts even longer. I’m sure I’ll get to them in future threads. Anyhow, we’ll close out this series in the next post with an analysis of the info we’ve gathered and a look at the best players never to feature in the top five of the MVP race. Take care!

¹ Kobe joins Kareem and one more yet-to-be-named player as the only individuals to add six top five MVP finishes.

² Kobe’s 2000 and 2001 seasons were roughly comparable in terms of stats and advanced numbers to many of the seasons in which he did accomplish top five finishes, which possibly indicates a hesitance in the media to give credit to Kobe for the team’s success. Also, Shaq was simply unstoppable in this period.

³ I hate trivializing what was a very serious incident. It deserves a lot more attention, particularly since this is being published during Sexual Assault Awareness Month. There’s a plethora of material about the case, its impact in the moment, how it should be remembered in the wake of Kobe’s death, and if/how Kobe atoned. I strongly urge readers to check them out, as it is inarguably a critical component of Kobe’s legacy and something I’m woefully incapable of adequately addressing here.

⁴ I was shocked to find that in this seven-year period, Ewing actually finished ahead of Hakeem in MVP voting five times. And yet, Hakeem managed to win the award in one of the two season in which he finished ahead of Ewing, resulting in many NBA fans (myself included) assuming Hakeem must have been the clear superior player during this span.

⁵ I should note that one of these losses (1991) was an absolute beatdown in the first round at the hands of Michael Jordan’s Bulls. Ewing didn’t exactly cover himself in glory in this series and his numbers are pretty ugly. Also, of the two seasons in which the Knicks did not lose to title-winning teams, one came against the pre-championship era Bulls in 1989 and the other came against the eight-points-nine-seconds Pacers in 1995.

⁶ Although, it can be reasonably argued that they underperformed in the playoffs overall.

⁷ Paul has a couple high-profile playoff blunders and just one Conference Finals appearance, but apart from some pitiful performances in 2009 and 2012, Paul’s playoff numbers remain outstanding. Personally, after watching how incredible he was in the 2008 playoffs, I’ve always found it hard to accept the belief that he isn’t a good playoff performer.

⁸ Along with Steve Nash and Derrick Rose.

⁹ Oddly, the only ABA season in which Barry played 80 games (1972) is the only one that did not result in a top five finish.

¹⁰ McGrady led the entire league in scoring in 2004.