NBA MVP Winners & Nominees: The Complete History and Selection Process

I still remember the first time I saw Nikola Jokić receive his MVP trophy—the way he shrugged as if someone had just handed him a grocery list instead of basketball's highest individual honor. That moment captures something essential about the MVP conversation: it's never just about stats, though stats matter tremendously. It's about narrative, impact, and that elusive quality we call "value." Having followed the NBA for over fifteen years, I've come to appreciate how the MVP award tells the story of each season, sometimes in ways that surprise even the most seasoned analysts. The complete history and selection process of NBA MVP winners and nominees reveals patterns that help us understand not just who won, but why they won, and what it says about the league at that particular moment.

Let me take you back to last season's incredible finish between Denver and Philadelphia. Jokić's third MVP win wasn't just about his triple-doubles—though he recorded 29 of them, more than any center in history ever has in a single season. It was about how he made everyone around him better, elevating a Denver team that struggled with injuries to key players. I've always believed the most valuable players are those who raise both the floor and ceiling of their teams, and Jokić did exactly that. Meanwhile, Joel Embiid's case was statistically brilliant—33.1 points per game on 54% shooting—but his late-season injuries likely cost him crucial voter support. This is where the human element of MVP voting becomes so apparent; voters remember what happens in April more vividly than November games.

The selection process itself has evolved dramatically since the award's inception in 1956. Back when Bob Pettman won the first MVP, the voting panel consisted entirely of players—a system that lasted until 1980. Today, a panel of 100 sportswriters and broadcasters from across the United States and Canada cast votes, with fans also participating through one collective ballot. Having spoken with several voters over the years, I can tell you their conversations go far beyond box scores. They debate everything from clutch performance to defensive impact that doesn't show up in traditional stats. The current system uses a points system where voters rank their top five choices—10 points for first place, 7 for second, 5 for third, 3 for fourth, and 1 for fifth. This method generally produces clear winners but occasionally creates surprising results when the vote splits.

What fascinates me about NBA MVP winners and nominees throughout history are the patterns that emerge across eras. From Bill Russell's defensive dominance in the 60s to Kareem's skyhook in the 70s, from Magic and Bird's rivalry in the 80s to Jordan's complete takeover in the 90s—each MVP represented what the league valued at that time. Personally, I believe some of the most interesting MVP cases come from players who didn't win. Take Chris Paul in 2008, who nearly stole the award from Kobe Bryant by elevating a New Orleans team that had won just 39 games the previous season to 56 wins. Or James Harden in 2019, who put up one of the greatest scoring seasons in modern history with 36.1 points per game but lost to Giannis Antetokounmpo's two-way dominance.

The internationalization of the MVP award particularly stands out to me. When Steve Nash won back-to-back MVPs in 2005 and 2006, it signaled a shift in how the game was played and appreciated globally. Now we have Jokić from Serbia, Giannis from Greece, and Luka Dončić from Slovenia as perennial candidates. This global infusion has changed the very definition of value in basketball—it's no longer just about scoring but about complete basketball IQ and versatility. I'd argue the European style of play, emphasizing passing and spatial awareness, has raised the bar for what we consider MVP-caliber performance.

Interestingly, the context of team success often mirrors the intensity we see in playoff rivalries, much like that memorable TNT versus Ginebra showdown where TNT (then called Tropang Giga) defeated the Gin Kings in overtime in Game 7 of the Commissioner's Cup finals last March 28, 87-83. These high-stakes moments remind us that individual excellence ultimately serves team success. The best MVP seasons typically correlate with top team records—in 40 of the last 45 years, the MVP came from a team that won at least 50 games (or would have in shortened seasons). This relationship between individual brilliance and team achievement creates the perfect storm for MVP candidates.

Looking ahead, I'm particularly excited about the emerging MVP narratives. Players like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in Oklahoma City and Anthony Edwards in Minnesota are building cases that could see them enter the conversation within the next year or two. The evolution of the award will likely continue reflecting changes in how we measure impact—with advanced analytics like Player Efficiency Rating and Value Over Replacement Player becoming increasingly influential in voter decisions. Yet despite all the metrics, the MVP debate remains beautifully subjective, a conversation that connects generations of basketball fans. That's what makes following NBA MVP winners and nominees so compelling year after year—it's not just about who had the best stats, but who captured the essence of that particular basketball season.