Over the past 15 seasons, four players have won a majority of the MVP awards: LeBron James (four), Stephen Curry (twice), Giannis Antetokounmpo (twice), and Nikola Jokic (twice).
Joel Embiid, James Harden, Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant, and Derrick Rose were among the few to crack that list amid the dominance of the big four listed above and win their only MVP award in that span.
So who are some of the NBA’s greatest players of all time who weren’t able to win an MVP and break through their era of dominant players?
HoopsHype examined the Top 25 players to never win MVP from our 77 greatest players ever list to find out.
1
Jerry West
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HoopsHype all-time ranking: 18
Jerry West was a dominant force in the NBA, finishing as the runner-up in the MVP voting four times, including three consecutive seasons. During that stretch, he showcased his versatility, capturing the league’s scoring title once in 1969-70 with an impressive 31.2 points per game, while also leading the league in assists per game with 9.7 in the 1971-72 season.
West played at a time when big men dominated the NBA and the MVP award category specifically. Between 1957 (Bob Cousy) and 1987 (Magic Johnson), the only guard to win MVP was Oscar Robertson.
West finished second in the MVP voting to Wilt Chamberlain and Willis Reed, then in consecutive years to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. His best case for winning the award was against Reed, who averaged just 21.7 ppg compared to West’s 31.2.
2
Elgin Baylor
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HoopsHype all-time ranking: 21
Elgin Baylor finished third in MVP voting three times and as high as second in voting during the 1962-63 season. Baylor lost the MVP award to Celtics legend Bill Russell that season while averaging over 17 more points (34 to 16.8) but nine fewer rebounds (23.6 to 14.3). The Celtics also won five more games in the regular season.
How dominant was Baylor that particular season? He’s currently tied for the 17th-highest scoring season ever, slightly trailing Luka Doncic at 34.1 points per game.
It’s also worth noting that during Baylor’s 14-year career, Russell and Wilt Chamberlain won MVP four times, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar won it twice. Some competition that was.
3
Dwyane Wade
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HoopsHype all-time ranking: 23
Dwyane Wade, one of the greatest shooting guards ever and a Finals and All-Star Game MVP, never won the NBA’s regular season MVP award
Wade’s best shot at winning MVP came during the 2008-09 season when he led the league in scoring at 30.2 points and finished third behind Kobe Bryant and LeBron James. Bryant’s Lakers won 65 games, and James’ Cavaliers won 66 games, while Wade carried Miami to a 28-game win improvement by winning 43 games after only winning 15 the season before.
James not only won MVP that 2008-09 season but twice alongside Wade. The presence of James in Miami virtually assured Wade wouldn’t win the award as he deferred to James, but it was worth it as they won back-to-back championships together.
4
Isiah Thomas
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HoopsHype all-time ranking: 26
Despite being one of the best point guards of his generation, a two-time All-Star MVP and an assist champion, Detroit’s Isiah Thomas only had one Top 5 MVP finish in the NBA (1983-84).
During Thomas’ 13-year career, his arch-rivals dominated most of the MVP conversation. Larry Bird won three straight MVP awards from 1984-86, and Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan won three MVPs each in the following six years.
5
Scottie Pippen
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HoopsHype all-time ranking: 27
Scottie Pippen was never going to win MVP alongside Michael Jordan as his teammate during the prime of his career, but he’s in the discussion for the best Robin in league history. Pippen was a point forward ahead of his time and one of the league’s top defenders in his prime as a Chicago Bull.
When Jordan retired during the 1993-94 season, it was Pippen who won the All-Star Game MVP and finished third in the MVP voting while averaging career-highs in points (22), rebounds (8.7) and steals (2.9). It was a valiant effort from Pippen who trailed David Robinson and 1994 MVP Hakeem Olajuwon in the voting.
(For the record: Olajuwon became the first player to be named MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, and Finals MVP in the same season that year).
6
Chris Paul
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HoopsHype all-time ranking: 28
Chris Paul, one of the greatest point guards ever, is a six-time steals champion, five-time assists leader, and 2013 All-Star Game MVP, renowned for his playmaking and shot-making ability. His best shot at the regular season MVP came in 2007-08 when he led the league in assists (11.6) and steals (2.7), guiding the Hornets to a 17-game win improvement. Despite his terrific play, Paul finished runner-up to Kobe Bryant in the MVP voting that season.
For what it’s worth, four point guards have won MVP (Steve Nash, Derrick Rose, Stephen Curry, and Russell Westbrook) during Paul’s time in the NBA.
7
John Havlicek
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HoopsHype all-time ranking: 29
John Havlicek was one of the best swingmen of his era. Only Bill Russell (11) and Sam Jones (10) won more championships than Havlicek, an eight-time winner.
During Havlicek’s 16-year career, only one guard – Oscar Robertson – won MVP, and Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar combined for eight MVPs. Havlicek’s Celtics teammates Russell (two) and Dave Cowens (one) combined for three MVPs as well.
John Havlicek had an incredible seven-year stretch from 1968-69 to 1974-75, averaging 24.0 points, 7.3 rebounds, 6.4 assists, and 1.3 steals per game. However, he only managed to finish as high as fourth in the MVP voting once during that great run.
8
John Stockton
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HoopsHype all-time ranking: 32
John Stockton formed half of the greatest pick-and-roll tandem ever with two-time MVP Karl Malone and became the NBA’s leader in assists (15,806) and steals (3,265). Remarkably, Stockton never missed the playoffs and guided the Jazz to 19 consecutive playoff appearances during as many seasons in his Hall of Fame career.
As the Robin to Malone’s Batman, Stockton never finished higher than seventh in the MVP voting.
9
Kawhi Leonard
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HoopsHype all-time ranking: 33
Kawhi Leonard is one of the NBA’s best two-way players, but his lack of availability has been one of the biggest reasons he’s never won an MVP award. Leonard has only played more than 72 games twice in his career, and it’s no coincidence he ranked second and third in MVP voting during those two seasons when he was 24 and 25 years old with the Spurs.
Leonard’s best chance to win MVP was during the 2015-16 season when he finished second to Stephen Curry. That season, Curry averaged more points (30.1 to 21.2) and assists (6.7 to 2.6), and the Warriors set the record for most regular season wins (73).
10
Patrick Ewing
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HoopsHype all-time ranking: 35
Patrick Ewing, known for his soft shooting touch as a big man in the 1990s, was a perennial MVP candidate with the Knicks. Between 1988 and 1995, he finished in the Top 5 of the MVP voting six times, averaging an impressive 24.9 points on 52.2 percent shooting, 11.0 rebounds, 2.9 blocks, 2.3 assists, and 1.1 steals per game.
Among the players who finished ahead of Ewing in the MVP voting several times during that span included Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Karl Malone, David Robinson, Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal, and Hakeem Olajuwon.
11
Rick Barry
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HoopsHype all-time ranking: 36
Rick Barry was an elite swingman and one of the NBA’s top scorers, leading the league in points per game (35.6) during the 1966-67 season. He was also renowned for his exceptional foul shooting ability, thanks to his unconventional underhanded free throw technique.
Barry spent four prime years of his career in the ABA but still had three other NBA seasons where he finished Top 5 in MVP voting. However, Barry’s era was dominated by big men, and he lost to Wilt Chamberlain, Bob McAdoo, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
12
Jason Kidd
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HoopsHype all-time ranking: 38
Jason Kidd was one of the best point guards ever, with the flair for making a flashy pass and the simple bounce pass equally well, and was a triple-double threat every night in his prime.
Kidd led the New Jersey Nets to a 26-game improvement and a trip to the NBA Finals after being acquired by the Phoenix Suns and finished second in MVP voting to Tim Duncan during the 2001-02 season.
13
Elvin Hayes
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HoopsHype all-time ranking: 40
Elvin Hayes was an NBA iron man, playing in at least 80 games in all 16 seasons of his career. He led the NBA in scoring as a rookie (28.4) and was a two-time rebounding champ.
Hayes finished Top 5 in MVP voting three times during his career but was overshadowed by other big men such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bob McAdoo, Bob Lanier, Dave Cowens, and Moses Malone in the MVP voting during that span.
14
Gary Payton
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HoopsHype all-time ranking: 42
Gary Payton, an iconic figure in Seattle known for his alley-oop connection with Shawn Kemp, was one of the best defensive point guards ever, winning the 1995-96 Defensive Player of the Year award.
Payton finished Top 6 in MVP voting six times overall, and his closest shot at winning the award came during the 1997-98 season when he finished third behind Michael Jordan and Karl Malone, which is somewhat fitting since Payton also lost to Jordan in the Finals and faced Malone several times in the playoffs.
15
Dominique Wilkins
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HoopsHype all-time ranking: 43
One of the best in-game dunkers ever and an all-time great small forward, Dominique Wilkins led the NBA in scoring during the 1985-86 season (30.3) but lost the 1986 MVP award to Larry Bird, whose Celtics won 17 more games than Wilkins’ Hawks. It was a metaphor for their careers as Bird got the best of Wilkins in the playoffs several times as rivals.
Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson also finished ahead of Wilkins multiple times in MVP voting over the years to thwart any MVP candidacy for the Hawks superstar.
16
George Gervin
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HoopsHype all-time ranking: 44
George Gervin won the scoring title three straight seasons, but finished second in the MVP voting twice and third once, losing out to big men like Bill Walton, Moses Malone, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. His strongest case came in 1977-78 when, despite playing more games (82 to 58), averaging significantly more points (27.2 to 18.9), and having more Win Shares (12 to 8.4), he lost to Walton.
17
Clyde Drexler
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HoopsHype all-time ranking: 45
Clyde Drexler was one of the NBA’s best shooting guards but had the unenviable task of competing against Michael Jordan during the prime of their careers. Like many others, Drexler lost to Jordan, including the battle for the MVP award and their NBA Finals matchup during the 1991-92 season.
18
George Mikan
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HoopsHype all-time ranking: 46
George Mikan was one of the NBA’s first dominant big men as a three-time scoring leader (once in the BAA and twice in the NBA) and two-time rebounding champ. After retiring for one season, Mikan returned to play 37 games during the 1955-56 season, the year the MVP award was created. Had the award been available earlier in his career, there’s no doubt Mikan would’ve been at least one.
19
Anthony Davis
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HoopsHype all-time ranking: 47
While Anthony Davis has shown flashes of being the NBA’s best player and is considered an elite two-way talent, injuries have limited his availability, playing 75 games just twice in his career. One of those times, in 2017-18, he led the league in blocks per game (2.6) and finished third in MVP voting behind winner James Harden and runner-up LeBron James.
20
James Worthy
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HoopsHype all-time ranking: 49
James Worthy, a Hall of Famer who won three championships and the 1988 Finals MVP, had little chance of capturing a regular season MVP award while playing alongside all-time greats Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for most of his career.
21
Carmelo Anthony
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HoopsHype all-time ranking: 50
Carmelo Anthony was one of the most prolific scorers in NBA history. During Anthony’s 2012-13 season with the Knicks, he led the league in scoring (28.7) and finished third in the MVP voting behind LeBron James and Kevin Durant.
Anthony and James have been linked together since they entered the 2003 NBA Draft. For a brief stretch in their rookie seasons, some debated whether Anthony was better than James, but it was short-lived as James won Rookie of the Year and never looked back.
22
Paul Pierce
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HoopsHype all-time ranking: 51
Paul Pierce solidified his Celtics legacy by winning NBA Finals MVP and the championship in 2008 after joining forces with Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen before his jersey was retired by the franchise in 2018.
However, Pierce only came as close as seventh in the regular season MVP voting during the 2008-09 season. During Pierce’s prime from 2002-13, when he was a 10-time All-Star, LeBron James won four MVP awards, while Steve Nash and Tim Duncan won two each.
23
Damian Lillard
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HoopsHype all-time ranking: 53
Damian Lillard and Stephen Curry have arguably the deepest shooting ranges in NBA history and were tied together for years as rivals for the league’s top-scoring backcourt along with their teammates CJ McCollum and Klay Thompson.
While Curry achieved more individual and team success with the Warriors, hurting Lillard’s MVP chances, Dame had strong cases himself. In 2020-21, he was No. 2 in HoopsHype’s Global Rating behind only Nikola Jokic but finished 7th in MVP voting despite averages of 28.8 points, 7.5 assists, 4.2 rebounds, and leading Portland to a 42-30 record. His career-best 4th place MVP finish came in 2017-18 (26.9 ppg, 6.6 apg, 4.5 rpg), trailing only James Harden, LeBron James, and Anthony Davis.
24
Kevin McHale
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HoopsHype all-time ranking: 56
Kevin McHale was one of the best low-post scorers in the NBA during his generation and thrived next to Larry Bird.
During his time with the Celtics, McHale was a two-time Sixth Man of the Year winner before finishing fourth in the MVP voting during the 1986-87 season. McHale averaged career-highs in points (26.1) and rebounds (9.9) while leading the league in field goal percentage (.604).
McHale fell short of winning MVP that season behind some of the greatest players to ever play, including Magic Johnson, who won the award, Michael Jordan, and Bird.
25
Dwight Howard
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HoopsHype all-time ranking: 62
Dwight Howard had a dominant prime, establishing himself as one of the best and most impactful centers in the league. He won three Defensive Player of the Year awards, led the NBA in rebounding five times and blocks twice,
Amid that run, Howard had a four-year window where he finished Top 5 in MVP voting four times, including a second-place finish during the 2010-11 season behind Derrick Rose, the youngest NBA MVP ever, who led the Bulls to the league’s best record that season (62-20).
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