Who has won NBA Finals MVP? Full list of the Bill Russell Finals MVP Award winners

Benyam Kidane

Who has won NBA Finals MVP? Full list of the Bill Russell Finals MVP Award winners image

The ultimate prize in the NBA is winning a championship, but from an individual standpoint, being named Finals MVP as the best player in the series stands as one of the most iconic awards in the league. 

The award has been handed out since 1969 and in 2009 was renamed the Bill Russell Finals MVP in honor of the Boston Celtics legend. 

“This is one of my proudest moments in basketball because I determined early in my career, the only important statistic in basketball is the final score,” Russell said after the award was named in his honor.

Russell is the winningest player in NBA history, named MVP five times and winning 11 championships as a player and coach with the Boston Celtics.

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The award is decided by a panel of eleven media members, who cast votes at the conclusion of the Finals. 

Since it was first introduced at the 1969 NBA Finals, the award has been handed out 53 times to 31 different players. 

Michael Jordan holds the record for the most wins with six, while LeBron James has won it four times and Magic Johnson, Shaquille O'Neal and Tim Duncan on three occasions. 

Johnson was named Finals MVP in his rookie season in 1980, the only rookie ever to win the award and the youngest at 20 years old. His Laker teammate Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is the oldest to win it at 38 years old in 1985.

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Jordan and O'Neal are the only players to win it in three consecutive seasons (Jordan did it twice), while Jerry West is the only player in NBA history to be named Finals MVP from the losing side, winning the inaugural Bill Russell MVP in 1969. 

LeBron James is the only player in NBA history to win it with three different teams (Heat, Cavaliers, Lakers).

Full list of NBA Finals MVP winners

After six Finals appearances, Stephen Curry took home his first-ever Finals MVP award, finishing with 34 points, seven rebounds, seven assists and two steals in the closeout Game 6 victory. 

Here is the complete list of past NBA Finals MVP winners.

NBA Finals MVP winners (1969-2022)
Year Player Team
2022 Stephen Curry Golden State Warriors
2021 Giannis Antetokounmpo Milwaukee Bucks
2020 LeBron James Los Angeles Lakers
2019 Kawhi Leonard Toronto Raptors
2018 Kevin Durant Golden State Warriors
2017 Kevin Durant Golden State Warriors
2016 LeBron James Cleveland Cavaliers
2015 Andre Iguodala Golden State Warriors
2014 Kawhi Leonard San Antonio Spurs
2013 LeBron James Miami Heat
2012 LeBron James Miami Heat
2011 Dirk Nowitzki Dallas Mavericks
2010 Kobe Bryant Los Angeles Lakers
2009 Kobe Bryant Los Angeles Lakers
2008 Paul Pierce Boston Celtics
2007 Tony Parker San Antonio Spurs
2006 Dwyane Wade Miami Heat
2005 Tim Duncan San Antonio Spurs
2004 Chauncey Billups Detroit Pistons
2003 Tim Duncan San Antonio Spurs
2002 Shaquille O'Neal Los Angeles Lakers
2001 Shaquille O'Neal Los Angeles Lakers
2000 Shaquille O'Neal Los Angeles Lakers
1999 Tim Duncan San Antonio Spurs
1998 Michael Jordan Chicago Bulls
1997 Michael Jordan Chicago Bulls
1996 Michael Jordan Chicago Bulls
1995 Hakeem Olajuwon Houston Rockets
1994 Hakeem Olajuwon Houston Rockets
1993 Michael Jordan Chicago Bulls
1992 Michael Jordan Chicago Bulls
1991 Michael Jordan Chicago Bulls
1990 Isiah Thomas Detroit Pistons
1989 Joe Dumars Detroit Pistons
1988 James Worthy Los Angeles Lakers
1987 Magic Johnson Los Angeles Lakers
1986 Larry Bird Boston Celtics
1985 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Los Angeles Lakers
1984 Larry Bird Boston Celtics
1983 Moses Malone Philadelphia 76ers
1982 Magic Johnson Los Angeles Lakers
1981 Cedric Maxwell Boston Celtics
1980 Magic Johnson Los Angeles Lakers
1979 Dennis Johnson Seattle SuperSonics
1978 Wes Unseld Washington Bullets
1977 Bill Walton Portland Trail Blazers
1976 Jo Jo White Boston Celtics
1975 Rick Barry Golden State Warriors
1974 John Havlicek Boston Celtics
1973 Willis Reed New York Knicks
1972 Wilt Chamberlain Los Angeles Lakers
1971 Lew Alcindor Milwaukee Bucks
1970 Willis Reed New York Knicks
1969 Jerry West Los Angeles Lakers

 

Benyam Kidane

Benyam Kidane Photo

Benyam Kidane is a senior NBA editor and has been covering the league for The Sporting News since 2016. In his spare time you can find him watching Allen Iverson highlights on repeat.