Ranking the Top 35 NBA All-Star Game MVPs
by Ben Liebowitz on SportsRaid.com
The NBA All-Star Game typically functions as a high-scoring, sloppy affair in which players opt for highlight-reel dunks and flashy passes over sound defense and halfcourt offense. Ultimately, the game is meant to be entertaining for the fans and low-risk (injury-wise) for the players.
Still, the games often snap back to an ultra-competitive mentality late if the score is close — and big-time performances matter. Those deemed to have turned in the best performance for the game earn All-Star Game MVP honors. In total, 68 players have been named ASG MVP (there have been four ties for the award throughout NBA history).
PointAfter set out to rank the top 35 All-Star Game MVPs. To do so, we ranked players by the sum of points (multiplied by 1.5), rebounds, assists and field goal percentage (multiplied by 10 to reach a whole number — for instance, .445 becomes 4.45). The reasoning here is that while rebounds and assists are valued in All-Star Games, scoring is far and away the most prominent component. (The average final score over the past five years is 152–150 in the Western Conference’s favor.)
From there, players were awarded a total score and ranked from lowest to highest. In the event of a tie, the player who scored more points in the All-Star Game was ranked higher.
Ideally, we’d sort the list by a more comprehensive statistic like John Hollinger’s Game Score, but that only tracks back to the early 1980s, because certain statistical categories weren’t tracked until that time.
Since we’re comparing players from the 1950s to players in the 2000s, we felt this was an appropriate (though still imperfect) measure of single-game value. The ranking does not account for steals, blocks, three-point percentage or free throw percentage.
#35. Jerry Lucas, Cincinnati Royals (1964–65)
Total Score: 54.82
ASG Box Score: 25 points, 10 rebounds, one assist, 63.2%/N/A/100% shooting splits
#34. Bob Lanier, Detroit Pistons (1973–74)
Total Score: 55.33
ASG Box Score: 24 points, 10 rebounds, two assists, 73.3%/N/A/100% shooting splits
#33. Charles Barkley, Philadelphia 76ers (1990–91)
Total Score: 56.17
ASG Box Score: 17 points, 22 rebounds, four assists, 46.7%/N/A/50.0% shooting splits
#32. Isiah Thomas, Detroit Pistons (1983–84)
Total Score: 56.79
ASG Box Score: 21 points, five rebounds, 15 assists, 52.9%/0.0%/100% shooting splits
#31. LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers (2005–06)
Total Score: 57.21
ASG Box Score: 29 points, six rebounds, two assists, 57.1%/40.0%/20% shooting splits
#30. Walt Frazier, New York Knicks (1974–75)
Total Score: 57.88
ASG Box Score: 30 points, five rebounds, two assists, 58.8%/N/A/90.9% shooting splits
#29. Karl Malone, Utah Jazz (1992–93)*
Total Score: 58.47
ASG Box Score: 28 points, 10 rebounds, 0 assists, 64.7%/N/A/66.7% shooting splits
*Malone tied with teammate John Stockton for the 1993 All-Star Game MVP.
#28. Magic Johnson, Los Angeles Lakers (1991–92)
Total Score: 59.00
ASG Box Score: 25 points, five rebounds, nine assists, 75.0%/100%/100% shooting splits
#27. Karl Malone, Utah Jazz (1988–89)
Total Score: 61.06
ASG Box Score: 28 points, nine rebounds, three assists, 70.6%/N/A/66.7% shooting splits
#26. Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers (2001–02)
Total Score: 61.30
ASG Box Score: 31 points, five rebounds, five assists, 48.0%/0.0%/100% shooting splits
#25. Randy Smith, Buffalo Braves (1977–78)
Total Score: 61.36
ASG Box Score: 27 points, seven rebounds, six assists, 78.6%/N/A/83.3% shooting splits
#24. Isiah Thomas, Detroit Pistons (1985–86)
Total Score: 61.79
ASG Box Score: 30 points, one rebound, 10 assists, 57.9%/N/A/75.0% shooting splits
#23. Tom Chambers, Seattle SuperSonics (1986–87)
Total Score: 62.20
ASG Box Score: 34 points, four rebounds, two assists, 52.0%/66.7%/66.7% shooting splits
#22. Bob Pettit, St. Louis Hawks (1958–59)*
Total Score: 62.31
ASG Box Score: 25 points, 16 rebounds, five assists, 38.1%/N/A/100% shooting splits
*Pettit tied with Elgin Baylor for the 1959 All-Star Game MVP.
#21. Scottie Pippen, Chicago Bulls (1993–94)
Total Score: 62.50
ASG Box Score: 29 points, 11 rebounds, two assists, 60.0%/55.6%/60.0% shooting splits
#20. Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs (1999–00)*
Total Score: 62.57
ASG Box Score: 24 points, 14 rebounds, four assists, 85.7%/N/A/N/A shooting splits
*Duncan tied with Shaquille O’Neal for the 2000 All-Star Game MVP.
#19. Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers (2006–07)
Total Score: 62.92
ASG Box Score: 31 points, five rebounds, six assists, 54.2%/33.3%/100% shooting splits
#18. LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers (2007–08)
Total Score: 62.95
ASG Box Score: 27 points, eight rebounds, nine assists, 54.5%/28.6%/100% shooting splits
#17. Bill Russell, Boston Celtics (1962–63)
Total Score: 63.21
ASG Box Score: 19 points, 24 rebounds, five assists, 57.1%/N/A/88.9% shooting splits
#16. Oscar Robertson, Cincinnati Royals (1960–61)
Total Score: 63.65
ASG Box Score: 23 points, nine rebounds, 14 assists, 61.5%/N/A/77.8% shooting splits
#15. Bob Pettit, St. Louis Hawks (1955–56)
Total Score: 65.12
ASG Box Score: 20 points, 24 rebounds, seven assists, 41.2%/N/A/85.7% shooting splits
#14. Oscar Robertson, Cincinnati Royals (1963–64)
Total Score: 65.35
ASG Box Score: 26 points, 14 rebounds, eight assists, 43.5%/N/A/60.0% shooting splits
#13. Wilt Chamberlain, Philadelphia Warriors (1959–60)
Total Score: 66.00
ASG Box Score: 23 points, 25 rebounds, two assists, 45.0%/N/A/71.4% shooting splits
#12. Julius Erving, Philadelphia 76ers (1976–77)
Total Score: 66.00
ASG Box Score: 30 points, 12 rebounds, three assists, 60.0%/N/A/100% shooting splits
#11. Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat (2009–10)
Total Score: 66.50
ASG Box Score: 28 points, six rebounds, 11 assists, 75.0%/0.0%/66.7%
#10. George Gervin, San Antonio Spurs (1979–80)
Total Score: 69.38
ASG Box Score: 34 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, 53.8%/N/A/66.7% shooting splits
#9. Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder (2011–12)
Total Score: 69.60
ASG Box Score: 36 points, seven rebounds, three assists, 56.0%/37.5%/71.4% shooting splits
#8. Bob Pettit, St. Louis Hawks (1961–62)
Total Score: 71.50
ASG Box Score: 25 points, 27 rebounds, two assists, 50.0%/N/A/100%
#7. Rick Barry, San Francisco Warriors (1966–67)
Total Score: 71.93
ASG Box Score: 38 points, six rebounds, three assists, 59.3%/N/A/75.0% shooting splits
#6. Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder (2014–15)
Total Score: 73.21
ASG Box Score: 41 points, five rebounds, one assist, 57.1%/55.6%/100% shooting splits
#5. Kyrie Irving, Cleveland Cavaliers (2013–14)
Total Score: 73.74
ASG Box Score: 31 points, five rebounds, 14 assists, 82.4%/50.0%/N/A
#4. Bob Pettit, St. Louis Hawks (1957–58)
Total Score: 73.76
ASG Box Score: 28 points, 26 rebounds, one assist, 47.6%/N/A/80.0% shooting splits
#3. Kevin Garnett, Minnesota Timberwolves (2002–03)
Total Score: 74.58
ASG Box Score: 37 points, nine rebounds, three assists, 70.8%/N/A/100% shooting splits
#2. Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers (2010–11)
Total Score: 77.88
ASG Box Score: 37 points, 14 rebounds, three assists, 53.8%/28.6%/87.5% shooting splits
#1. Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls (1987–88)
Total Score: 78.39
ASG Box Score: 40 points, eight rebounds, three assists, 73.9%/N/A/100% shooting splits
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