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If you look at most of the legendary players in NBA history, the NBA MVP award usually pops up in their resume. In fact, most league legends won multiple MVPs in their illustrious careers. However, there are a few legends who could not win an elusive MVP award during their time in the NBA.
5 Greatest players who did not win the NBA MVP award
The NBA MVP is currently picked by a group of sportswriters and that has been the case since the 1980-81 NBA season. Before journalists took over the voting process, it was the players who were voting for the awards at the end of each season.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has the all-time record for most MVPs won with six (all during the era with player voting), while Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks) is the reigning two-time NBA MVP.
Winning the MVP is a huge accomplishment for a player and is the biggest individual prize from the regular season. In this piece, we give you the five greatest players who never won the NBA MVP award.
#5 George Gervin - Best finish in the NBA MVP voting: 2nd (twice)
George Gervin is one of the greatest scorers in NBA history and played in the league from 1976 to 1986. He won four scoring titles, and lead the San Antonio Spurs to seven consecutive NBA Playoffs from 1976 to 1983.
Gervin's best years came with the Spurs when he joined the NBA from the ABA in 1976 and he led the league in scoring from 1978 to 1982. In his best season (1979-80), Gervin averaged 33 points and five rebounds per game. However, his best chance to win the NBA MVP award came in the previous couple of years, when he averaged 27 and 29 points per game and led the Spurs to 52 and 48 wins.
In 1978 and 1979, Gervin finished second in MVP voting, behind Bill Walton and Moses Malone, respectively. He finished in the Top 5 of the NBA MVP voting four times.
#4 Dwyane Wade - Best finish in the NBA MVP voting: 3rd
Even though Dwyane Wade won three titles and a Finals MVP award in his illustrious, Hall-of-Fame worthy career, he never won the MVP award. Interestingly, Wade was arguably never really the clear candidate to take the trophy home.
The fact that Wade played with Shaquille O'Neal from 2004-2008, and then with LeBron James from 2010 to 2014 did not help Wade's MVP case. In fact, Wade had some great seasons with O'Neal by his side, yet Shaq was the one who got closer to winning the MVP award.
Wade finished twice inside the Top 5 of the NBA MVP voting, and both happened in the two seasons between the departure of O'Neal and LeBron James' arrival. He finished third in the 2008-09 MVP voting after leading the league in points per game.
#3 Isiah Thomas - Best finish in the NBA MVP voting: 5th
Isiah Thomas was a huge name in the 1980s when he played for the Detroit Pistons. In the late 1980s, he even led the offense of a physically-intimidating Detroit team to the NBA championship and a trio of Finals appearances.
Thomas dominated the league in an era that was renowned for the numerous elite big men rather than guards. Despite winning two NBA championships with Detroit and a Finals MVP, Thomas did not win the NBA MVP.
In his career, Thomas finished once in the Top 5 of the NBA MVP voting. Fifth place was his best spot in MVP voting, and it happened in the 1983-84 season.
#2 Elgin Baylor - Best finish in the NBA MVP voting: 2nd
Elgin Baylor is arguably the greatest player to never win an NBA Championship. He is also right up there with the greatest players to never win the NBA MVP award.
Baylor's career extended from 1958 and 1972, and he often ran into the 1960s Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals and into Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, or Oscar Robertson in the NBA MVP race.
For a player with averages of 30 points and 16 rebounds per game in the 1959-60 season, or 35 points and rebounds per game in the following season, not having an MVP on his resume is shocking.
In fact, that is not the most unfortunate fact from Baylor's career, as he also played in seven NBA Finals and lost each time. Baylor finished second in the NBA MVP voting in the 1962-63 season.
#1 Jerry West - Best finish in the NBA MVP voting: 2nd (four times)
Jerry West is the greatest player never to win the NBA MVP award. He arguably deserved the award a couple of times, but 'The Logo' could not get his hands on the award during his legendary career.
West played for the LA Lakers from 1960 to 1974, and won one NBA championship (in 1972) from nine Finals appearances. In the NBA MVP voting, West finished second four times (losing to Wilt Chamberlain, Willis Reed, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar twice).
Jerry West had some incredible seasons. In the 1965-66 NBA campaign, he averaged 31 points, seven rebounds, and six assists per game. However, he lost the MVP award to Chamberlain after the center averaged 34 points, 25 rebounds, and five assists per game.
Also read: NBA 2020-21: Top 5 mid-range scorers in the league
