One of the most important accolades a player can win is the Most Valuable Player Award. Since only one player is chosen for this award, there is steep competition for being the MVP of your team all season. Not to mention, the NBA is a league full of superstar players who all probably deserve the MVP Award over the course of 82 games. It takes that little bit extra in terms of performance, production, and winning to get a guy over the hump and capture the prestigious award.
Since 1955, the MVP Award has been awarded to the best single player over the regular season each and every year. Most often, although there are some disputes, the MVP award is awarded to both the best player in the league that year along with who provided the most value to their team. Without these guys on their respective teams, the team would not be as successful as they did.
We have witnessed some incredible MVP seasons, especially over the last decade. But did each MVP winner truly deserve his award? Oftentimes, voter bias and sometimes statistical analysis without looking at the whole picture means a player is robbed of an MVP award in a given season. We have seen such instances over the past ten years whereby a player was awarded an MPV award ahead of someone else who truly deserved it. Here is every single MVP winner over the past ten years and the player who deserved the award accordingly.
2012-13 NBA Season
MVP: LeBron James 26.8 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 7.3 APG, 1.7 SPG, 0.9 BPG
Who Should’ve Won: LeBron James
LeBron James was the best player in the world in 2012, even if he had a superteam to play with. The King was physically superior to the rest of the NBA and had also developed a mean streak after failing in the 2011 NBA Finals. James wanted no friends and just wanted to prove he was the best player in the world, which he absolutely was, considering his play on offense and defense.
Averaging 26.8 PPG, 8.0 RPG, and 7.3 APG, The King was a force on both ends of the court as he also lost out on Defensive Player of the Year to Marc Gasol. James was suffocating on defense because, at 6’9” and 250 lbs, he could defend four positions at an elite level. Regardless, James won the MVP award because he deserved it over second-place Kevin Durant.
2013-14 NBA Season
MVP: Kevin Durant 32.0 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 5.5 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.7 BPG
Who Should’ve Won: Kevin Durant
Kevin Durant was the best player in the world in 2014, posting over 30 PPG and winning his 4th scoring title, and also chipping in 5.5 APG, which was his then career-high. Adding to the fact that KD shot 50.3% from the field, 39.1% from three, and 87.3% from the free-throw line, the player was on another stratosphere in the 2014 season. It is no wonder why Durant finished with 1,232 points ahead of LeBron James (891 points).
Some might argue that LeBron James was still the most dominant force in the NBA, as he led the Miami Heat to the second seed in the East and eventually made the NBA Finals in a losing effort. Kevin Durant still deserved the MVP award by all accounts because he was the best offensive player in the world by a large margin and began showing his talents as an all-around player as well. With the Oklahoma City Thunder finishing with 59 wins, Durant was the deserted MVP winner, and the voters got this one right.
2014-15 NBA Season
MVP: Stephen Curry 23.8 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 7.7 APG, 2.0 SPG, 0.2 BPG
Who Should’ve Won: LeBron James 25.3 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 7.4 APG, 1.6 SPG, 0.7 BPG
Stephen Curry was the undisputed MVP of the regular season in the 2015-16 season, but he wasn’t in the 2014-15 season. The point guard put up solid numbers across the board, but he was not as great as LeBron James was. Sure, Golden State had arrived as the best team in the NBA with 67 wins, and the best player on the best team won the MVP award. But LeBron was absolutely special for the Cavaliers all year, winning 53 games and putting Cleveland back on the map.
Perhaps leaving Miami and going back to Cleveland to join Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love rubbed voters the wrong way. Bias should not occur, but perhaps it had something to do with LeBron finishing third. James Harden might have had an even bigger argument as he posted 27.4 PPG and 7.0 APG while leading the Houston Rockets to 56 wins in the West. Regardless, Curry was the best player on the best team, and the Warriors were so dominant as a team that the point guard was voted the MVP over LeBron James and James Harden.
2015-16 NBA Season
MVP: Stephen Curry 30.1 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 6.7 APG, 2.1 SPG, 0.2 BPG
Who Should’ve Won: Stephen Curry
There is no debate that Stephen Curry deserved his MVP award in the 2016 season. He followed up his first MVP campaign and first NBA championship with his best season as a superstar player. The point guard was unstoppable all year long, winning the scoring title at 30.1 PPG while shooting 50.4% from the field, 45.4% from three, and 90.8% from the free-throw line. Curry also led the Golden State Warriors to the record-breaking 73-9 record, and the best player on the best team did it again. This time, it was unanimous as every single voter voted for the point guard with a total of 131 first-place votes.
Curry was killing it alongside Klay Thompson (22.1 PPG on 42.5% 3-PT FG) and Draymond Green (14.0 PPG, 9.5 RPG, 7.4 APG). Steve Kerr had the offense clicking on all cylinders, and Steph was on point from the start of the season. Kawhi Leonard and LeBron James finished second and third in MVP voting, but neither of them came close to Steph as the most impactful star in the league.
2016-17 NBA Season
MVP: Russell Westbrook 31.6 PPG, 10.7 RPG, 10.4 APG, 1.6 SPG, 0.4 BPG
Who Should’ve Won: Russell Westbrook
What Russell Westbrook did in the 2017 season was truly iconic and special. Almost every NBA fan and media member was on Russ’ side during the year since Kevin Durant left him high and dry in free agency to join the 73-9 Golden State Warriors that featured two-time MVP, Stephen Curry. Westbrook responded with arguably the most spectacular individual season in NBA history, posting the first season triple-double since Oscar Robertson did it in 1962. He did it by also leading the league in scoring on 42.5% FG, 34.3% 3-PT FG, and 84.5% FT.
Westbrook’s spectacular season included a buzzer-beating game-winner against the Denver Nuggets to capture his 42nd triple-double of the year while knocking the Denver Nuggets out of the playoffs. Of course, Westbrook’s heroics all year long led the Thunder into the playoffs, which nobody thought would be possible after Durant left. Say what you will about Westbrook now, but he was inhuman in the 2017 season.
2017-18 NBA Season
MVP: James Harden 30.4 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 8.8 APG, 1.8 SPG, 0.7 BPG
Who Should’ve Won: James Harden
Many claim that LeBron James deserved the MVP award in 2018. But it is argued that Harden was the best player in the world in 2018, and it shouldn’t be close. The Beard posted 30.4 PPG, which led the NBA, and added 8.8 APG, 1.8 SPG, and 0.7 BPG while carrying the Houston Rockets to a tremendous 65-17 record. Even if Kevin Durant was on the Warriors, Golden State could not win more games than Houston.
Harden was slicing and dicing his way to the basket all year, scoring the ball at an elite level and also creating open looks for his teammates. The shooting guard shared point guard duties with Chris Paul at times, but he was the man who operated at his own will. Being coached with Mike D’Antoni helped his numbers, surely, but the player deserves credit for making the Rockets the best team in the league all year long. LeBron James had 27.5 PPG, 8.6 RPG, and 9.1 APG while leading the Cavaliers to 50 wins, but Cleveland finished 4th while Houston finished 1st, so this should be a no-contest by impact, record and statistical analysis.
2018-19 NBA Season
MVP: Giannis Antetokounmpo 27.7 PPG, 12.5 RPG, 5.9 APG, 1.3 SPG, 1.5 BPG
Who Should’ve Won: Giannis Antetokounmpo
James Harden averaged 36.1 PPG, 6.6 RPG, and 7.5 APG while having the most incredible offensive season in recent memory. He dismantled defenses all year long and had to be defended by three and sometimes four defenders to prevent him from getting easy layups. No player scored as easily as Harden did, and he might have earned MVP honors by most accounts. Except for the fact that Giannis was so spectacular on both ends of the floor, it would be a shame to disregard the best two-way player in the world on the best team.
The Milwaukee Bucks finished with 60 wins and were by far the best team in the league. Giannis did not have another superstar player alongside him, unlike Harden in Houston (second place) and Paul George (third place) in Oklahoma City. Giannis was extremely efficient (57.8% FG) from the floor, an exceptional creator, and a lockdown defender. The Rockets finished 4th in the East with 53 wins, and the Thunder had 49 wins for 6th place, so team success meant Giannis deserved the MVP award.
2019-20 NBA Season
MVP: Giannis Antetokounmpo 29.5 PPG, 13.6 RPG, 5.6 APG, 1.0 SPG, 1.0 BPG
Who Should’ve Won: Giannis Antetokounmpo
Giannis deserved the MVP award in 2019, but he also deserved it in 2020. The Greek Freak was once again the best player in the world for the best team, except this time, he was even better than the year prior. The Greek Freak suffocated players on defense and ran away with Defensive Player of the Year awards. Not to mention, he posted 29.5 PPG on 55.3% from the field. No doubt, Giannis was the best player by all accounts.
LeBron James finished second in the MVP race, posting 25.3 PPG and a league-leading 10.2 APG alongside Anthony Davis. James playing with Davis meant he had superstar help, something Giannis did not quite have, although he had a terrific Khris Middleton by his side. Giannis would not get Jrue Holiday until the following season, so he had to carry a heavy offensive and defensive load all year long. The Bucks finished with 56 wins, which led all teams, and the best player on the team was the MVP award winner.
2020-21 NBA Season
MVP: Nikola Jokic 26.4 PPG, 10.8 RPG, 8.3 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.7 BPG
Who Should’ve Won: Nikola Jokic
Nikola Jokic deserved the MVP award in 2021, and to foreshadow a little bit, that is the only one he deserves so far. The Serbian posted a spectacular double-double while chipping in 8.3 APG despite being a center. The big man did everything for the Denver Nuggets all year and carried them to 47 wins and the 3rd seed in the Western Conference despite not having another All-Star beside him. Joel Embiid finished second in the MVP race, but he did have All-Star Ben Simmons alongside him.
Jokic was a special all-around player on the court, dominating inside and outside while creating for others at an elite level. The center posted 56.6% from the field, 38.8% from three, and 86.8% from the free-throw line. His efficiency, triple-double ability, and playmaking were truly special to watch, and he deserved the MVP award even if he was not the most physically appealing or most explosive. One year later, Jokic would win his second-straight MVP award, although he did not quite deserve it over another superstar center.
2021-22 NBA Season
MVP: Nikola Jokic 27.1 PPG, 13.8 RPG, 7.9 APG, 1.5 SPG, 0.9 BPG
Who Should’ve Won: Joel Embiid 30.6 PPG, 11.7 RPG, 4.2 APG, 1.1 SPG, 1.5 BPG
Nikola Jokic was last year’s latest MVP winner, but he probably should not have won it. The analytics-driven part of the game is taking away from players who deserved it a little bit more, and in last year’s case, it was Joel Embiid. Embiid led the NBA in scoring by posting 30.6 PPG to go along with 11.7 RPG, 4.2 APG, and 1.5 BPG on 49.9% FG, 37.1% 3-PT FG, and 81.4% FT.
Jokic was a monster, and his winning the MVP was not a travesty by any means. The Serbian averaged 27.1 PPG, 13.8 RPG, and 7.9 APG while shooting 58.3% from the field, 33.7% from three, and 81.0% from the line. The major difference that should have separated the two players was that Embiid led the Philadelphia 76ers to the 4th seed in the East, while Denver finished 6th in the West. Embiid was the dominant force all year and deserved to be the MVP last season.
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