NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award
Year Player Position Nationality Team
1969 Jerry West * Guard United States Los Angeles Lakers §
1970 Willis Reed * Center / Forward United States New York Knicks
1971 Lew Alcindor * Center United States Milwaukee Bucks
1972 Wilt Chamberlain * Center United States Los Angeles Lakers ( 2 )
1973 Willis Reed * ( 2 ) Center / Forward United States New York Knicks ( 2 )
1974 John Havlicek * Forward / Guard United States Boston Celtics
1975 Rick Barry * Forward United States Golden State Warriors
1976 Jo Jo White * Guard United States Boston Celtics ( 2 )
1977 Bill Walton * Center United States Portland Trail Blazers
1978 Wes Unseld * Center / Forward United States Washington Bullets
1979 Dennis Johnson * Guard United States Seattle SuperSonics
1980 Magic Johnson * Guard United States Los Angeles Lakers ( 3 )
1981 Cedric Maxwell Forward United States Boston Celtics ( 3 )
1982 Magic Johnson * ( 2 ) Guard United States Los Angeles Lakers ( 4 )
1983 Moses Malone * Center United States Philadelphia 76ers
1984 Larry Bird * Forward United States Boston Celtics ( 4 )
1985 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar * ( 2 ) Center United States Los Angeles Lakers ( 5 )
1986 Larry Bird * ( 2 ) Forward United States Boston Celtics ( 5 )
1987 Magic Johnson * ( 3 ) Guard United States Los Angeles Lakers ( 6 )
1988 James Worthy * Forward United States Los Angeles Lakers ( 7 )
Winners
Jerry West , the inaugural recipient , is the only player to win the award while being on the losing team . Magic Johnson is the only player to win the award as a rookie . Michael Jordan has won the award a record six times . Shaquille O'Neal is the only player other than Michael Jordan to have won the award three times consecutively . Tony Parker was the second player born outside the US to win the award , joining Hakeem Olajuwon . LeBron James ( pictured ) , Kareem Abdul-Jabbar & Kawhi Leonard are the only players to win the award for two teams .
The Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award (formerly known as the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award) is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) award given since the 1969 NBA Finals. The award is decided by a panel of eleven media members, who cast votes after the conclusion of the Finals. The person with the highest number of votes wins the award. The award was originally a black trophy with a gold basketball-shaped sphere at the top, similar to the Larry O'Brien Trophy, until a new trophy was introduced in 2005 to commemorate Bill Russell. Since its inception, the award has been given to 31 players. Michael Jordan is a record six-time award winner. Magic Johnson, Shaquille O'Neal, Tim Duncan and LeBron James won the award three times in their careers. Jordan and O'Neal are the only players to win the award in three consecutive seasons (Jordan accomplished the feat on two separate occasions). Johnson is the only rookie ever to win the award, as well as the youngest at 20 years old. Andre Iguodala is the only winner to have not started every game in the series. Jerry West, the first ever awardee, is the only person to win the award while being on the losing team in the NBA Finals. Willis Reed, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Larry Bird, Hakeem Olajuwon, Kobe Bryant, Kawhi Leonard and Kevin Durant won the award twice.