The NBA MVP award can be a tricky one to vote for. It seems like it should be simple – vote for the best and most valuable player in the league, but a lot of things can get in the way and impact the decision.
We want the MVP to have incredible statistics, but we also are quick to call someone’s statistics “empty” if their team doesn’t win as many games as we thought they could. We want the MVP to have team success, but if the roster around them is too good, we dismiss their individual contribution for being on a “super team”.
Finally, the MVP has always been a narrative award, voter fatigue is very real, the fans and media don’t want to see the same player win every single year (even if they deserve it). We like to reward breakout stars and players who have never won the award, even if they weren’t quite deserving.
In today’s list, we will look at 5 NBA MVPs who did not deserve the award, and the 5 players who should have won.
Did Not Deserve – Derrick Rose: 2011
Derrick Rose was absolutely electric in his third season with the Chicago Bulls and they led the NBA with 62 wins. Rose averaged 25 points and 7.7 assists per game and the 22-year-old was a human highlight reel. The voting wasn’t close and Rose easily took first ahead of Dwight Howard and LeBron James. In retrospect, this may have been too much influenced by the narrative. Derrick Rose was a high school superstar out of Chicago, so NBA fans were elated when he was drafted #1 by the Chicago Bulls in 2008 to be Michael Jordan’s heir.
Then, he was living up to the hype and fast, becoming a superstar in his third year and leading the Bulls to the #1 record, so naturally, the voters felt he deserved the MVP award. But, re-evaluating that 2011 season, I think there was someone more deserving.
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Who should have won? Dwight Howard
From 2009-2013 LeBron James won every MVP award except for this season in 2011. However, I don’t think this was a case of voter fatigue. This was LeBron’s first season in Miami and he was adjusting to playing with another star in Dwayne Wade. He was the best player in the NBA, but didn’t quite feel like an MVP this season. So, I think the award should have actually gone to second place, Dwight Howard.
Dwight’s Magic went 52-30 and he had a major impact on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball. Averaging 23 points, 14 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks per game, Dwight was at the peak of his powers and was truly the most valuable player that season due to his 2-way play. “Win-Shares” has a strong correlation to who wins the MVP historically, and this season Rose only had a WS of 13.1, while Howard and LeBron were 14.4 and 15.6 respectively.
Did Not Deserve – Steve Nash: 2005
It is a popular opinion that Steve Nash did not deserve his second MVP in 2006 and that the award should have gone to Kobe Bryant. But, I actually think it was his first MVP in 2005 that was the mistake. The narrative was great for Nash, in his first season with the Suns he transformed them into the #1 regular season team with 62 wins. They were so exciting to watch with their “seven seconds or less” fast-paced offense.
He averaged an incredible 11.5 assists, and 15.5 points a game on 43% shooting from three-point range. This combined with his winning impact helped him edge out Shaq (who had transformed the Heat into a winning team that season). However, I don’t think either of those stars deserved the 2005 MVP.
Who should have won? Dirk Nowitzki
Despite losing Steve Nash, the Mavericks were still a top NBA team, with a 58-24 record. This was mainly due to Dirk Nowitzki, who was entering his prime. Shaq and Nash were great stories of stars who turned around their franchises, but Dirk was the better, more impactful player at the time.
Averaging 26 points, and 9.7 rebounds per game on 40% three-point shooting, Dirk was a superstar. His “Win Shares” was 15.6, while Nash and Shaq were only 10.9 and 11 respectively. Dirk would go on to win the award 2 years later in 2007.
Did Not Deserve – Allen Iverson: 2001
Allen Iverson’s 2001 season was one of the most fun in NBA history. Iverson is an NBA cultural icon and his 2001 MVP season and subsequent run to the NBA Finals is his signature season. Iverson averaged 31 points, 4.6 assists, and 2.5 steals per game.
He was a scoring machine and helped the talent-deficient 76ers to an Eastern Conference-leading 56 wins. But, looking at the whole picture, I don’t think he was the MVP.
Who should have won? Shaquille O’Neal
Shaq only having 1 MVP is a bit of a travesty. He was the best and most dominant NBA player in the first half of the 2000s and won 4 championships, and 3 Finals MVPs. The 2001 season was right during his peak, and he lost the MVP award due to Iverson’s iconic 2001 season. But, looking back on their impact, Shaq was the more dominant and complete player (and this was on display when the Lakers beat the Sixers in 5 games in the NBA Finals).
Shaq averaged 28.7 points, 12.7 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks per game as the Lakers won 56 games. Iverson averaged 31 points a game, but he was an inefficient 42% from the field and did not do a good job of creating for his teammates. Shaq led the league in WS with 14.9, while Iverson had a WS of 11.8.
Did Not Deserve – Wes Unseld: 1969
Wes Unseld was 22 years old in 1969 and won both the Rookie of the Year and MVP awards in the same season. However, he may be the most statistically underwhelming MVP in league history.
Wes averaged 13.8 points, 18.2 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game as he led the Baltimore Bullets to the league-best record of 57-25. He was a great player, but not the deserved MVP this season.
Who should have won? Willis Reed
The New York Knicks’ superstar was the better choice for MVP in 1969. Willis averaged 21.1 points and 14.5 rebounds per game as the Knicks won 54 games that season. Reed’s 14.7 Win Shares were much stronger than Unseld’s 10.8.
Did Not Deserve – Bill Russell: 1962
Bill Russell is the ultimate winner, an 11-time NBA champion, and he also won 5 MVP awards. Russell was fantastic as always, averaging 18.9 points, 23.6 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game as the Celtics won 60 games. However, there was another All-Time Great that was much more deserving this season.
Who should have won? Wilt Chamberlain
Wilt Chamberlain had the greatest statistical season in NBA history in 1962. Chamberlain averaged an eye-popping 50.4 points and 25.7 rebounds this season and his Philadelphia Warriors were third in the NBA with 49 wins.
Wilt’s Win Shares this season was 23.1 in comparison to Bill’s 15.5. Wilt Chamberlain not winning the MVP after putting up these outrageous statistics is one of the biggest mistakes in NBA Award history.
