Thefivewords"MostValuablePlayer"measurefarmorethanstatistics.In2023,JoelEmbiided
ShaquilleO'Nealwononlyoneregular-seasonMVPinhiscareer(2000),afactoftenmisreadinl
AllenIversonwontheregular-seasonMVPonlyonce,in2001.Yetthatsingle"MostValuable"oc
In1957,theNBAplaceditssecondregular-seasonMVPinBobCousy'shands.Intoday'scontext,
Thefivewords"MostValuablePlayer"pointnotmerelytoapileofindividualstatistics,butt
Thewords"MostValuablePlayer"aremosteasilymisunderstoodas"themanwiththebeststats.
Thefullnameoftheregular-seasonMVPis"MostValuablePlayer."Jameswrotethosewordsinto
Ifthechampionshipisthepeakofteamglory,theregular-seasonMVPistheultimatemeasureof
Thewords"mostvaluable"arethehardesthonortoquantifyintheNBA.Ascoringtitlemeasures
In1981,JuliusErvingwonhisonlyNBAregular-seasonMVP.Manyfansandwriterslaterfeltthe
TheMVPtrophy,Maloneliftedtwice;thechampionshiptrophy,neveronce.Thatcontrastisthe
In2007,Nowitzkiwontheonlyregular-seasonMVPofhiscareer.Thecrueltwist:thatsamepost