Stephen Curry’s MVP Points Per Season: The First And Only Unanimous MVP In NBA History

Regarded as one of the best basketball players of all time, Stephen Curry has used outside shooting to change the landscape of the game forever. He will always be credited for inspiring teams to take more three-point shots. With eight All-Star appearances and All-NBA selections, Curry has been among the league’s best players for nearly a decade. That is evidenced by his constant sighting in the MVP voting.

After his first three seasons, Curry began to develop into one of the game’s best. His first All-Star appearance came in 2014, but even before that, he was getting recognized as one of the game’s best. That transition led him to be a two-time MVP and the league’s only unanimous MVP in league history. Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and LeBron James never swept the MVP ballot. Curry did and remains the only player to ever do it.

What about the other seasons? Let’s take a look at Curry’s MVP points per season.

2009-10 – 0 Points (MVP Race Finish: N/A)

Season Statistics: 17.5 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 5.9 APG, 1.9 SPG, 0.2 BPG

After the Warriors drafted Curry with the No. 7 overall pick, he went right to work by averaging 36.2 minutes per game. His second half saw him surge into the Rookie of the Year conversation. He was named the Western Conference Rookie of the Month for January, March, and April. He was the only rookie to be named the winner three times, but he finished as the runner-up to Sacramento Kings guard Tyreke Evans.

Curry was a unanimous All-Rookie First-Team selection. It was the first time a Warriors player received that award since Jason Richardson in 2002. His eight games or 30 or more points set a record for the Warriors and was the most of that kind since LeBron James (13) and Carmelo Anthony (10) in 2003-04. While his season was a standout rookie season, it was not enough to get an MVP vote.

2010-11 – 0 Points (MVP Race Finish: N/A)

Season Statistics: 18.6 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 5.8 APG, 1.5 SPG, 0.3 BPG

The sophomore season saw Curry jump to making 74 starts and play 33.6 minutes per game. His free throw percentage of 93.4% was a franchise record, and it surpassed a record set by Rick Barry in 1978. He also became the first Warriors player to lead the league in free throw percentage since Mark Price in 1996-97.

Curry’s season-high was 39 points, and he posted 14 field goals in that game against the Thunder. Later in the year, he won the Skills Challenge and scored 13 points in the Rookie/Sophomore game. In the end, the free throw percentage was not enough to muster up any votes for the MVP race. Instead, he received ankle surgery in May.

2011-12 – 0 Points (MVP Race Finish: N/A)

Season Statistics: 14.7 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 5.3 APG, 1.5 SPG, 0.3 BPG

The league saw a shortened season due to the lockout, but it was the best-case scenario for Curry. He was battling an ankle injury all year that forced him to miss 40 games. Curry appeared in 26 games this season and saw one of the worst offensive seasons in his career. Among his games missed, he missed the final 28 games of the season due to a sprained right ankle.

Despite his injury-plagued year, Curry had done enough to impress the team by signing him to a four-year extension worth $44 million. At the time, it was considered a risky move because of his injury history. Instead, the Warriors drafted Klay Thompson and this duo would become one of the most iconic duos to ever suit up together.

2012-13 – 3 Points (MVP Race Finish: 11th)

Season Statistics: 22.9 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 6.9 APG, 1.6 SPG, 0.2 BPG

The evolution of the “Splash Brothers” began their reputation as an outside scoring sensation, with Curry as the ringleader. Curry appeared in 78 games and was fully healthy. His numbers were back to a high-scoring output, and he was seventh in the NBA in scoring. He established a new single-season three-point record with 272 three-point field goals, which surpassed the 269 set by Ray Allen in 2005-06.

During the season, he scored 54 points in a game in New York. He joined Rick Barry, Guy Rodgers, and Wilt Chamberlain as the only Warriors to ever score more than 45 points in Los Angeles and New York. His three-point shooting efforts, it was enough to snag a few votes to finish 11th in the MVP race.

2013-14 – 66 Points (MVP Race Finish: 6th)

Season Statistics: 24.0 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 8.5 APG, 1.6 SPG, 0.2 BPG

Curry averaged a career-high in points and finished seventh in the scoring race. His 8.5 assists per game were fifth. It was the first time in team history that a player averaged at least 24 points and eight assists in a season. He also led the league in three-point field goals by making 261, which was the fourth-most for a season. It was also the first time since Ray Allen in 2001 and 2002 to lead the league in three-point field goals in back-to-back seasons.

Curry broke onto the scene by being named All-NBA Second Team. It was the first time since 1993-94 that a Warriors player was named to the All-NBA squad. By the end of the year, Curry also passed Jason Richardson as the all-time leading three-point shooter in team history. For his efforts, he just missed making the top 5 in the MVP voting.

2014-15 – 1,198 Points (MVP Race Finish: 1st)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UaA4zaE2i7k

Season Statistics: 23.8 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 7.7 APG, 2.0 SPG, 0.2 BPG

Despite the team firing Mark Jackson and hiring a new coach in Steve Kerr, the Warriors had one of the greatest seasons ever. The team won the NBA championship and Curry rose to be the league’s best player. Curry thrived under the new system that featured the Warriors running at a faster pace. Kerr allowed Curry the freedom to shoot and the team quickly evolved into a title contender.

Curry scored a season-high 51 points. Just a week later, he was named the leading vote-getter for the All-Star Game, and then he won the Three-Point Contest. Curry eventually broke his record for three-pointers in a season. The Warriors won 67 games and Curry was named the league MVP. Curry nearly swept the championship award as well, but the Finals MVP Award was given to Andre Iguodala.

2015-16 – 1,310 Points (MVP Race Finish: 1st)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXwbC1EemF4

Season Statistics: 30.1 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 6.7 APG, 2.1 SPG, 0.2 BPG

The first three games of the season saw Curry score 118 points. It was the first time since Michael Jordan in 1989-90 that a player scored that many points. His hot streak continued as the Warriors embarked on a 24-0 record to start the season. By the end of the season, he became the first player to make at least 200 three-point field goals in four straight seasons. By the ALl-Star break, the Warriors were 48-4.

This historic season continued as Curry made his 400th three-point field goal to become the first player ever to make more than 400 threes in a season. He finished the year with 402. The Warriors won their final game of the season that night to win their 73rd game and surpass the 1995-96 Bulls and their 72-10 record. Curry was the league’s leading scorer, and he led the league in steals. He also became the seventh player to join the 50-40-90 Club. For all his accomplishments, he was voted the first unanimous MVP ever. However, the season was blemished when the team blew a 3-1 lead to the Cavaliers in the NBA Finals.

2016-17 – 52 Points (MVP Race Finish: 6th)

Season Statistics: 25.3 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 6.6 APG, 1.8 SPG, 0.2 BPG

With Kevin Durant joining the Warriors, it was going to take some of the offense away from Curry. With that said, Curry’s drop-off was not that mighty. His assists were right around what he did before and he averaged only five fewer points per game. Curry reached 1,600 career three-points during the season and continued his streak of making at least one three-point field goal in a game. His streak of 157 games was snapped midway through the year.

The season featured many ups as the Warriors were just too talented. Draymond Green won the Defensive Player of the Year Award. Curry, Thompson, Durant, and Green were all named All-Stars. Durant and Curry were named to the All-NBA Team. Even with all of this talent, the voters recognized what Curry did during the regular season and he managed to finish sixth. In the Finals, Durant was named the best and won his first Finals MVP Award.

2017-18 – 5 Points (MVP Race Finish: T10th)

Season Statistics: 26.4 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 6.1 APG, 1.6 SPG, 0.2 BPG

In the offseason, Curry became the first NBA player to sign a supermax contract worth over $200 million. He signed a five-year, $201 million extension with the Warriors. He lived up to his contract and helped the Warriors make their fourth straight NBA Finals. During the regular season, he became the fastest NBA player to achieve 2,000 career three-pointers. However, he missed 11 games due to a right ankle injury, and that hurt his MVP stock.

He came back quickly and reached the 200 three-point field goal mark for the sixth straight season. However, he would suffer a Grade 2 medial collateral ligament sprain. He missed six weeks of the season and returned to action in the second round against the Pelicans. Curry would finish in the top 10 of voting for what he meant to the team and would win his third title with the Warriors down the road.

2018-19 – 175 Points (MVP Race Finish: 5th)

Season Statistics – 27.3 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 5.2 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.4 BPG

Back to being healthy was the name of the game for Curry. With full movement, he was a top-5 player in the league again. During the season, Curry made at least five three-point field goals in the first seven games of the season. It broke a record set by George McCloud of six games during the 1995-96 season. Injuries briefly struck Curry when a groin ailment sidelined him for 11 games.

Curry played most of the season and let his outside shooting do the talking. In one game, he made 11 three-point field goals. Later, he made nine three-point field goals in a game to become the first player in NBA history to go three consecutive games with at least eight made threes. By April, he went on a stretch that saw him make at least five three-pointers in nine straight games. The Warriors made the playoffs and NBA Finals but would fall to the Raptors in six games. Durant would leave the Warriors in the offseason, and Curry was back to being the sole face of the team.

2019-20 – 0 Points (MVP Race Finish: N/A)

Season Statistics: 20.8 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 6.6 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.4 BPG

Durant leaving the Warriors in free agency hurt, but losing Thompson for the whole season was worse. Thompson was hurt in the NBA Finals and was ruled out for the entire season. Curry was expected to take on a larger role with the team. Instead, it would be a really bad year for the Warriors. Curry drove to the basket and collided with Aron Baynes and broke his hand.

Curry was expected to be out for three months. Instead, he played in only five games. Curry made a return on March 5, but the team was in such a bad spot in the playoffs that the team opted for keeping him healthy. The team landed the No. 2 overall pick and used it on James Wiseman in the draft.

2020-21 – 453 Points (MVP Race Finish: 3rd)

Season Statistics: 32.0 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 5.8 APG, 1.2 SPG, 0.1 BPG

Before the season began, the team was given the devastating news that Thompson was going to miss a second straight season. That left Curry taking on a massive responsibility on the offensive side. Curry had many milestones, which included making his 2,500th career three-point shot. He won the Three-Point Contest after making his last shot in the final round to narrowly defeat Mike Conley Jr. and he passed Guy Rodgers as the all-time leader in assists for the Warriors.

What stood out the most was when he passed Wilt Chamberlain to become the all-time leading scorer. Curry embarked on one of the greatest scoring stretches ever. In April, Curry had an 11-game stretch where he scored at least 30 points, which surpassed Kobe Bryant’s record for a player age 33 or older. Curry also made 78 three-point field goals during that time, which is the most for an 11-game stretch. Curry also averaged 35 points and shot 50-40-90 for the month. At the end of the season, he won the scoring race by scoring 46 points in the final game to hold off Bradley Beal. Despite the Warriors not making the playoffs, he established himself back as a top-3 player in the league.

2021-22 – 4 Points (MVP Race Finish: 8th)

Season Statistics – 25.5 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 6.3 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.4 BPG

The band was back together as Thompson made his return midway through the year. Curry and Green were healthy, and the team relied on Andrew Wiggins and Jordan Poole to make strides in their careers. Everything started with Curry, though. During the year, Curry surpassed Ray Allen as the all-time leader in three-point field goals. He hit his first career buzzer-beater over the Rockets in January. At the All-Star Game, Curry set the record for most three-pointers in an All-Star quarter, half, and game. His 16 three-point field goals helped him land All-Star Game MVP.

On his 34th birthday, Curry scored 47 points in a win over the Wizards. He saw a seven-point decrease in his scoring, but the addition of Thompson and Wiggins helping offensively took some of the load off. Curry’s MVP race took a hit when he suffered a sprained ligament in his left foot when it rolled over Marcus Smart. He missed the final two weeks of the regular season. He would heal up and help the Warriors march back to the NBA Finals, where Curry would win his fourth championship and win his first Finals MVP Award.

Can Stephen Curry Win Another MVP Award?

With the talent that the league has right now, it does not seem likely. Nikola Jokic is in his prime and could land a third MVP much sooner. The same goes for Giannis Antetokounmpo. That does not include what some of the younger players like Luka Doncic, Ja Morant, and Zion Williamson could do this season or in the next few years. While Curry will continue to preserve his reign as the best shooter ever, being the best player in the league is far gone, given his aspirations.

If Curry focused on being the best player in the league, he could potentially win his third MVP Award. However, that is not his concern right now. Being the best player in the league is something he has already done, twice for that matter. Winning a fifth championship is something that could vault him into the Mount Rushmore of greatest basketball players ever. If we see Curry’s name in another MVP poll, it will be an added bonus if he can get that fifth ring. 

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