Who Won MVP in the NBA?

The answer to who won MVP in the NBA may surprise you. Here’s a look at the top contenders and what they did to earn the coveted title.

2017-2018 Season

The 2017-2018 MVP was James Harden of the Houston Rockets. This is the first time he has won the award. He is also a 6 time All-Star and a 2 time scoring champion.

Russell Westbrook

Russell Westbrook, who plays for the Oklahoma City Thunder, was the 2017-2018 NBA MVP.

James Harden

James Harden had an incredible 2017-2018 season, leading the Houston Rockets to the best record in the NBA and being crowned MVP. He averaged 30.4 points per game, 8.8 assists per game, and 5.4 rebounds per game. He shot 44.9% from the field and 36.7% from three-point range. He was absolutely unstoppable, and his performance helped lead the Rockets to the best record in the NBA.

LeBron James

LeBron James was unanimously voted the NBA’s Most Valuable Player for the 2017-18 season. It marks the fifth time in James’ career that he has won the award, putting him one behind Michael Jordan for the most all time.

James averaged 27.5 points per game, 8.6 assists per game and 9.1 rebounds per game for the Cleveland Cavaliers last season. He led the Cavaliers to their fourth consecutive NBA Finals appearance, although they were ultimately beaten by the Golden State Warriors in four games.

2018-2019 Season

Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks is your 2018-2019 NBA Most Valuable Player! In what was one of the most competitive MVP races in recent memory, Giannis narrowly edged out Paul George of the Oklahoma City Thunder and James Harden of the Houston Rockets. All three players had phenomenal seasons, but Giannis’ s 27.7 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game, coupled with his team’s 60-22 record, were enough to give him the edge.

Giannis Antetokounmpo

Giannis Antetokounmpo was born in Greece to Nigerian parents. At just 6 years old, he began playing organized basketball. When he was 12, his family moved to Milwaukee, Wis., in search of a better life and to give their children opportunities they never had. Giannis worked hard in school and on the court and his dedication paid off: he was drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round of the 2013 NBA Draft.

In his six seasons with the Bucks, Giannis has become one of the best players in the world. He’s been named an All-Star and been named to the All-NBA First Team three times. He was also named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player in 2019.

Giannis is known for his incredible athleticism and ability to finish at the rim. He’s also working on adding a consistent jump shot to his game, which makes him even more dangerous. With Giannis leading the way, the Bucks are poised to make a deep run in the playoffs this season.

Paul George

Paul George averaged 28.0 points, 8.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 2.2 steals per game for the Oklahoma City Thunder this season. He shot 46.9 percent from the field, 36.9 percent from three-point range and 85.8 percent from the free throw line. George was named to the All-NBA First Team and was also named the NBA’s Most Improved Player for 2018-2019.

Kawhi Leonard

Kawhi Leonard, small forward for the Toronto Raptors, is the MVP for the 2018-2019 season. He was originally drafted by the Indiana Pacers in 2011 but was quickly traded to the San Antonio Spurs. Leonard played an important role on the Spurs team that won the NBA Championship in 2014. He became a starter in 2015 and helped lead the team to another Finals appearance. In 2016, he was named Defensive Player of the Year and helped the Spurs get back to the Conference Finals.

In 2017, Leonard was injured for most of the season and only played nine games. Some thought that his career might be over, but he made a full recovery and came back better than ever in 2018. He averaged 26.6 points per game, 8.3 rebounds per game, and 2.3 assists per game while leading the Raptors to their best record in franchise history. For his efforts, Leonard was named MVP of the regular season and helped lead the Raptors to their first NBA Finals appearance.