In1981,JuliusErvingwonhisonlyNBAregular-seasonMVP.Manyfansandwriterslaterfeltthe
TheMVPtrophy,Maloneliftedtwice;thechampionshiptrophy,neveronce.Thatcontrastisthe
Thethreeletters"MVP"readtwowaysonKobeBryant.Narrowly,itisthe2008regular-seasontr
TotalkaboutKevinDurant's"value,"onemustfirstclearafrequentlyconfuseddistinction:
Thetitle"MostValuablePlayer,"placedonBillRussell,wasneverjustaplaque.HewontheLea
Thephrase"MostValuablePlayer,"placedbesideWiltChamberlain,wasneverjustatrophy.He
Thewords"MostValuablePlayer,"placedonMagicJohnson,weighmorethanthetrophyitself.H
Thefivewords"MostValuablePlayer"weighheavieronGiannisAntetokounmpothanonmost.Hew
Thetitle"MostValuablePlayer"istodayoneofthemostdiscussedindividualhonorsinbasket
Thetitle"MostValuablePlayer,"whenitlandedonLarryBird,wasneverjustacoronationofpe
Thewords"mostvaluable,"inbasketball'spopularreading,areoftenequatedwith"winningt
"MostValuable."Whentheleaguehandedthosethreewordstothesamemanfivetimes(1988,1991