When did the NBA start awarding Finals MVP?

The NBA Finals MVP award began in 1969, with Jerry West of the Los Angeles Lakers becoming the first winner.

How is the NBA Finals MVP decided?

The Finals MVP is voted by a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters after the series, based on overall impact and performance.

Has a player from the losing team ever won Finals MVP?

Yes, Jerry West in 1969 is the only player to win Finals MVP while on the losing team.

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Two Titles at Villanova: A Champion’s DNA Forged in College

FMVP Club

NBA

20 views07/04/2026, 03:54 ET

Brunson won two NCAA championships at Villanova (2016, 2018) and was a consensus All-American — a winner's DNA built long before the NBA.

Brunson's champion's DNA was planted in college.

At Villanova, he lifted the NCAA trophy twice — as a core freshman contributor in 2016, then as the outright star in 2018, when he was named a consensus first-team All-American. In an era of "one-and-done," Brunson chose to stay, grind fundamentals and bake winning habits into his bones.

Those two NCAA banners shaped his pro game: unselfish, disciplined, fearless in the clutch. Many stars shine in college yet stall in the pros; Brunson is the reverse — college success became the steadiest base of his NBA run.

From Villanova to New York, "champion" never left his vocabulary.