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The All-Stars will have their eyes on the MVP award as the NBA hosts its 70th All-Star Game on Sunday, March 7 at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. Team LeBron will lock horns with Team Durant as fans get to witness some high-flying NBA action.
The All-Star Game is an event where stars play loose defense and give their fans highlight-reel-worthy plays. In the past, players have not cared much for who wins and loses the All-Star Game, with the distinction of one prize they covet the most — the NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player (MVP) award.
NBA All-Star Game 2021: Last 5 MVPs of the marquee event
King James, captain of Team LeBron, has received the honor of winning the NBA All-Star Game MVP award three times in his career while Kevin Durant has won it twice.
Every All-Star has a burning desire to come out on top among the best of the best and the All-Star Game MVP trophy can additionally earn them a lifetime's worth of bragging rights.
On this list, we will take a trip down memory lane and check out the winners of the All-Star Game MVP of the past five years.
Kawhi Leonard (2020)
Kawhi Leonard is a generational talent who can change the fortunes of any team in the association. He left Greg Popovich's corner to join the Toronto Raptors, creating history in 2019 by winning the franchise's first NBA title in league history.
He then teamed up with Paul George to create a powerful duo in the West and will be competing for another title this summer.
Leonard's impressive resume also includes the 2020 NBA All-Star Game MVP award. He scored 30 points for Team LeBron last year in a game that featured the Elam Ending for the first time.
Kevin Durant (2019)
Kevin Durant is on a mission to leave his mark on the game. He's been keeping busy behind the scenes, orchestrating the blockbuster deal that brought James Harden over to the Brooklyn Nets this season.
In the 2019 All-Star Game, the two team captains, namely LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo, drafted their teams with James picking Kevin Durant in his squad.
Giannis did post a game-high 38 points but the night belonged to KD, who secured the win for his side with a team-high 31 point performance. Team LeBron's winning presentation secured Durant's second All-Star Game MVP honors.
LeBron James (2018)
On top of his domination in the regular season and the playoffs, LeBron James reigns supreme in the All-Star Game format as well, bagging three MVP trophies in his career thus far. The 2018 All-Star Game edition marked a major change in the game as the league decided to do away with the East vs. West concept.
The NBA rolled out a new setup where two team captains select their squad and battle it out for a charitable cause. The 2018 All-Star Game featured two captains, LeBron James and Stephen Curry, as the former led his side to victory with 29 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists for a 148-145 game-time decision.
Anthony Davis (2017)
The 'Brow' Anthony Davis has joined the ranks of NBA greats after his impressive 2020 playoff run, that ended with the 27-year-old winning his first championship ring with the LA Lakers.
Davis, the former New Orleans Pelicans star, dominated the 2017 edition of the All-Star Game, winning the MVP trophy for his massive 52 point scoring exhibition, which also became the new All-Star Game record.
That year, the Eastern Conference team elevated their game, increasing their point total from 173 to 182. While Davis will be out for this year's All-Star Game, fans can rest assured the perennial All-Star will make his return the following season.
Russell Westbrook (2016)
It's shocking to witness Russell Westbrook not getting selected for the 2021 All-Star Game, as he has bounced back after a slow start to the season and is posting a near triple-double every game entering the All-Star break.
Russ is one of the most gifted NBA superstars to have ever graced the hardwood, winning the MVP award in back-to-back All-Star Games in 2015 and 2016.
In the 2016 edition, Brodie dropped 31 points while adding eight rebounds, five assists and five steals en route to a 196-173 victory for the West. He scored a whopping 41 points in the 2015 edition in a game where none of the All-Stars managed more than 30 points on the night.
