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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Basketball Bloodline: Rick Brunson and His Son

FMVP Club

NBA

7 views07/09/2026, 23:23 ET

Brunson comes from a hoops family — his father Rick, a former NBA player, is now a Knicks assistant, making their tandem a rare NBA story.

Jalen Brunson's basketball gift has a clear lineage.

His father, Rick Brunson, played nine NBA seasons across several teams before turning coach. Today, Rick is an assistant coach for the New York Knicks — father and son share one franchise as player and coach, a warm rarity in the league.

Raised inside his father's professional basketball world, Jalen absorbed not just skills but professionalism: how to prepare, how to face lows, how to be a teammate. That "family schooling" shows in his game — calm, cool, team-first.

On the 2026 title night, cameras kept finding Rick courtside. The moment his son lifted the FMVP, it was also the echo of a father's basketball bloodline. For this family, the sport is a two-generation relay.