It’s been 10 years since the NBA regular-season MVP lifted the Larry O’Brien Trophy as a world champion at the end of the season. It’s the longest stretch of non-champion MVPs in NBA history.
That streak seemed poised to end this year. Oklahoma City guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander won MVP over Denver’s Nikola Jokic, and the Thunder are now huge favorites to win the Finals in BetMGM’s NBA betting odds market.
If OKC does indeed win it all, SGA will join an elite company of great players that includes Stephen Curry, LeBron James, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, and Michael Jordan.
NBA Players Who Won a Championship and Regular-Season MVP In the Same Season
- Stephen Curry (2015)
- LeBron James (2012, ’13)
- Tim Duncan (2003)
- Shaquille O’Neal (2000)
- Hakeem Olajuwon (1994)
- Michael Jordan (1991, ’92, ’96, ’98)
- Magic Johnson (1987)
- Larry Bird (1984, ’86)
- Moses Malone (1983)
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1971, ’80)
- Willis Reed (1970)
- Wilt Chamberlain (1967)
- Bill Russell (1961, ’62, ’63, ’65)
- Bob Cousy (1957)
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