NBA: 4 Los Angeles Lakers players who won the MVP award

Shaquille O'Neal
Shaquille O'Neal

#1 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - 3

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar won the MVP award thrice
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar won the MVP award thrice

MVP seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers (1975-76, 1976-77, 1979-80)

The first overall pick of the 1969 NBA draft, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was known for his dominance, dismantling the opposition teams with his performances. He spent 20 seasons in the NBA and is known for his time with the Los Angeles Lakers.

The 19-time NBA All-Star was a 6-time NBA champion and five of them came with the Los Angeles Lakers. He won his first MVP award in just his second year in the NBA. In the 1970-71 season, he carried the Bucks to the finals, averaging a ridiculous 31.7 points, 16.0 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game over the season. In the Finals, he averaged 26.6 points, 17.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game and was also awarded the Finals MVP.

His first MVP trophy with the Lakers came in his first season with the franchise (1975-76), but the Lakers did not qualify for the playoffs. He picked up where he left off and was terrific in the 1976-77 season and was named the MVP despite the Lakers getting swept by the Trail Blazers in the Conference Finals.

However, his third and final MVP season for the Lakers ended with the team lifting the Larry O'Brien Trophy. Kareem led the league in blocks per game that season with 3.4.

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