5 Players with most NBA All-Star Game MVP honors

Every year, after the conclusion of the NBA All-Star Game, a panel consisting of media members cast their votes to select the 'Most Valuable Player' of the marquee matchup. Although the All-Star MVP award offers little apart from official bragging rights, the feeling of being the hottest scorer under the brightest lights does carry a sense of genuine pride.

While Kareem Abdul-Jabbar appeared in 18 All-Star clashes throughout his career without winning the MVP in even one, Adrian Smith won the hardware in his only All-Star Game. The coveted bout for this season is scheduled to be held in Chicago's United Center on 16th February at 8 PM ET.

Prior to the Saturday night festivities, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver announced that the league has renamed the All-Star Game MVP award in honor of the late Kobe Bryant. In this piece, we will take a look at the five NBA megastars who have managed to bag the most number of All-Star MVP honors to date.

#5 LeBron James - 3

LeBron won three All-Star Game MVPs, all as a Cavalier

The 2020 All-Star Weekend would witness LeBron James in a record 16th straight appearance - as a result of which he also leads the league in points scored in All-Star games. He has been named the Conference Captain ever since the change in format and his squad has tasted victory on both occasions.

Bron has managed to bag three All-Star Game MVPs (2006, 2008, 2018) so far, the latest one coming via an enthralling 29 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists performance to beat Team Stephen Curry 148-145. In all his MVP-winning games, the King has never scored less than 27 points. And as an interesting trivia looking back, Cleveland's James started with Miami’s Dwyane Wade and Toronto’s Chris Bosh in 2008.

Playing in his 17th NBA regular season, LeBron James has notched 12 triple-doubles so far. He is averaging 25 points, 7.8 rebounds and 10.8 assists per game (league-leading) while shooting 49% from the field this year.

#4 Michael Jordan - 3

Jordan won All-Star Game MVPs in the years 1988, 1996 and 1998

Michael Jordan was a 14-time All-Star when he retired. During the 1988 All-Star Weekend, His Airness dropped 40 points to announce his arrival on the World stage of basketball and walked away with the MVP honors - the first of his career.

In 1996, he was outscored by Shaquille O'Neal in the All-Star game but still ended up bagging the MVP award. This was his return to the All-Star bout after missing a season due to Minor league baseball. His latest All-Star MVP award came in 1998, the season before he retired - only to return with the Washington Wizards in 2001.

As a whole, Jordan was indispensable to the festivities on All-Star Weekend year in and year out and his mere presence was enough to raise the bar of the matchup.

#3 Shaquille O'Neal - 3

Shaq is arguably the most dominant center to have ever played in the NBA

Shaquille O'Neal appeared in 15 All-Star Games (seven with the Lakers) throughout his illustrious career. He won the All-Star Game MVP honors thrice in 2000 (shared with Tim Duncan), 2004 and 2009 (shared with Kobe Bryant).

The only year he did not share his MVP trophy was in 2004 when the West won 136-132 and Big Diesel dropped 24 points and grabbed 11 boards.

Shaq retired as a 4-time champion and 3-time Finals MVP, but his lighthearted animated presence during the All-Star break brought a smile on the face of anyone who was in attendance.

#2 Bob Pettit - 4

Pettit was the first player on a losing team to be named MVP

Bob Pettit won the All-Star Game MVP hardware in 1956, 1958, 1959 (shared with Elgin Baylor) and 1962.

In 1956, he dropped 20 points and pulled a whopping 26 boards while repping the St. Louis Hawks. Even though his team lost in 1958, Pettit posted a monster stat line (28 points and 26 boards) good enough to land his second All-Star Game MVP trophy.

However, an argument can be made against him regarding his final MVP award. During the All-Star game in 1962, Wilt Chamberlain recorded 42 points and 24 rebounds for the losing squad, but Pettit was still chosen the MVP for his 25 points and 27 rebounds.

#1 Kobe Bryant - 4

Kobe was as competitive as one could possibly imagine

Kobe Bryant had 18 All-Star selections when he decided to bid farewell to the game of basketball.

Bryant won his first All-Star MVP trophy in the year 2002 when he scored 31 points and wrote Mamba Mentality all over the exhibition game. His next one came in 2007, when he managed to pass the ball six times (as well as drop 31 points and record six steals). Kobe led the West to a blowout win that year and beat Amar’e Stoudemire (29 points) to the trophy.

After sharing his third MVP award with Shaq in 2009, Bryant won it back for himself in 2011 for the final time. He scored 37 points and added 14 rebounds, and joined Bob Pettit for the most All-Star Game MVPs with four.