SI.com has a breaking report, via the AP, that LeBron James has been named the NBA MVP for the 2008-09 season. It is the first of what will most likely be many MVP awards for King James.
Though the voting numbers were not revealed in the report, it has been widely assumed that this year’s MVP award was a three-horse race between LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and Dwyane Wade. Assuming that LeBron is indeed the winner, clearly his defensive improvement (he finished second in defensive player of the year voting) and the Cavs’ incredible regular season (66 wins, #1 seed in NBA Playoffs) tipped the scales in his favor.
For the year, LeBron James averaged 28.4 point, 7.2 rebounds, and 7.6 assists. He is still only 24 years old despite this being his sixth NBA season.
Congratulations to LeBron. He is certainly deserving of the award, and has somehow taken another quantum leap of improvement this season. It is scary to think how good he will ultimately become in the years moving forward.
Now we’ll see if LeBron can add Finals MVP to his list of accolades for this season. It would be a surprise to everyone if LeBron and Kobe don’t end up duking it out for the award in a month or so.
Here is the updated table of the all-time NBA MVP award winners:
NBA History: List of NBA MVP Award Winners
| Year | NBA MVP | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 2008-09 | LeBron James | Cleveland |
| 2007-08 | Kobe Bryant | LA Lakers |
| 2006-07 | Dirk Nowitzi | Dallas |
| 2005-06 | Steve Nash | Phoenix |
| 2004-05 | Steve Nash | Phoenix |
| 2003-04 | Kevin Garnett | Minnesota |
| 2002-03 | Tim Duncan | San Antonio |
| 2001-02 | Tim Duncan | San Antonio |
| 2000-01 | Allen Iverson | Philadelphia |
| 1999-00 | Shaquille O'Neal | LA Lakers |
| 1998-99 | Karl Malone | Utah |
| 1997-98 | Michael Jordan | Chicago |
| 1996-97 | Karl Malone | Utah |
| 1995-96 | Michael Jordan | Chicago |
| 1994-95 | David Robinson | San Antonio |
| 1993-94 | Hakeen Olajuwon | Houston |
| 1992-93 | Charles Barkley | Phoenix |
| 1991-92 | Michael Jordan | Chicago |
| 1990-91 | Michael Jordan | Chicago |
| 1989-90 | Magic Johnson | LA Lakers |
| 1988-89 | Magic Johnson | LA Lakers |
| 1987-88 | Michael Jordan | Chicago |
| 1986-87 | Magic Johnson | LA Lakers |
| 1985-86 | Larry Bird | Boston |
| 1984-85 | Larry Bird | Boston |
| 1983-84 | Larry Bird | Boston |
| 1982-83 | Moses Malone | Philadelphia |
| 1981-82 | Moses Malone | Houston |
| 1980-81 | Julius Erving | Philadelphia |
| 1979-80 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | LA Lakers |
| 1978-79 | Moses Malone | Houston |
| 1977-78 | Bill Walton | Portloand |
| 1976-77 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | LA Lakers |
| 1975-76 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | LA Lakers |
| 1974-75 | Bob McAdoo | Buffalo |
| 1973-74 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | Milwaukee |
| 1972-73 | Dave Cowens | Boston |
| 1971-72 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | Milwaukee |
| 1970-71 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | Milwaukee |
| 1969-70 | Willis Reed | New York |
| 1968-69 | Wes Unseld | Baltimore |
| 1967-68 | Wilt Chamberlain | Philadelphia |
| 1966-67 | Wilt Chamberlain | Philadelphia |
| 1965-66 | Wilt Chamberlain | Philadelphia |
| 1964-65 | Bill Russell | Boston |
| 1963-64 | Oscar Robertson | Cincinnati |
| 1962-63 | Bill Russell | Boston |
| 1961-62 | Bill Russell | Boston |
| 1960-61 | Bill Russell | Boston |
| 1959-60 | Wilt Chamberlain | Philadelphia |
| 1958-59 | Bob Pettit | St. Louis |
| 1957-58 | Bill Russell | Boston |
| 1956-57 | Bob Cousy | Boston |
| 1955-56 | Bob Pettit | St. Louis |
About Jerod Morris
