Did you know that the NBA MVP Finals and Regular Season Award are two different things? The MVP of the Finals is given to the most outstanding player in the championship series, while the MVP of the regular season is given to, well, the most outstanding player in the regular season. While it’s possible for one player to win both awards in a single year – as LeBron James did in 2012-13 – it’s more common for them to go to two different players.
In fact, over the last 20 years, only four players have won both MVPs in the same season: Michael Jordan (1996-97), Shaquille O’Neal (2000-01), Kobe Bryant (2007-08) and James (2012-13).
Did you know that the MVP of the NBA Finals is not always the same as the regular season MVP? In fact, it’s quite rare for a player to win both awards in the same year.
The most recent player to do so was LeBron James, who won the Finals MVP in 2016 and the regular season MVP in 2012 and 2013.
Other players who have accomplished this feat include Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, Tim Duncan, and Steve Nash.
So why is there such a difference between these two awards? Well, for one thing, the voting process is different.
For the regular season MVP, a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters from around the country vote on who they think deserves the award. But for the Finals MVP, it’s only those media members who are actually at the Finals that get to vote.
This can make a big difference because often times it’s not necessarily the best player on the winning team that gets voted as Finals MVP.
Instead, it’s usually someone who had a great series or made some clutch plays in key moments. That’s why you sometimes see players like Robert Horry or Derek Fisher winning multiple Finals MVPs despite not being considered among their respective teams’ best players.
So if you’re ever wondering why someone like LeBron James has more regular season MVPs than Finals MVPs (4 to 3), remember that it doesn’t always come down to who is simplythe best player – sometimes it comes down to timing and luck too.
NBA Players Who Won MVP & Finals MVP In The Same Year
Has There Ever Been a Finals Mvp That Didn’T Win the Finals?
No, there has never been a Finals MVP that didn’t win the finals. The award is given to the player who is deemed to be the most valuable player of the entire playoffs, and it would therefore not make sense to give it to a player who did not help his team win the championship.
Has Anyone Won Mvp And Finals Mvp Season?
In the history of the NBA, only one player has won both the regular season MVP and Finals MVP in the same year: LeBron James. He accomplished this feat in 2012-13, leading the Miami Heat to a championship. James averaged 26.8 points, 8.0 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game during the regular season, then upped his production to 28.6 points, 10.7 rebounds and 7.9 assists per game in the playoffs.
He was unanimously voted MVP of both the regular season and Finals.
Has Any Player Won Mvp And Finals Mvp in the Same Year?
In the history of the NBA, only two players have won both the regular season MVP and Finals MVP in the same year: Michael Jordan and LeBron James.
Jordan did it first in 1996, when he led the Chicago Bulls to a then-record 72 regular season wins en route to his fourth NBA title. He averaged 30.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 2.3 steals per game that season, and was unanimously voted MVP.
In the Finals, he put up 27.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game as the Bulls beat the Seattle SuperSonics in six games.
James matched Jordan’s feat in 2012 with the Miami Heat. That year, he became just the fifth player ever to win back-to-back MVPs, averaging 27.1 points, 7.9 rebounds and 6.2 assists per game during the regular season.
He then upped his numbers to 28 points, 10 rebounds and 7 assists per game in leading Miami to its second straight championship – this time over the Oklahoma City Thunder – earning himself Finals MVP honors in the process.
Is the Nba Mvp a Regular Season Award?
The MVP is a regular season award. It is not awarded during the playoffs. The MVP is voted on by a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada.

Credit: www.reuters.com
How Many Mvps Does Lebron Have
Lebron James is one of the most decorated players in NBA history. He has been named MVP on four occasions (2009, 2010, 2012, 2013), and has also been named to the All-Star team twelve times. In addition to his individual accolades, Lebron has also led his teams to nine NBA Finals appearances, winning three championships (2012, 2013, 2016).
Conclusion
Did you know that the NBA MVP award is given out based on a combination of regular season and finals performance? This means that if a player has a great regular season but then doesn’t step up in the playoffs, they’re less likely to win the prestigious honor. On the other hand, if someone plays well in both the regular season and playoffs, they’re more likely to take home the trophy.
So who takes home the coveted title more often? It turns out that players who win MVP in the regular season are more likely to also be named MVP of the finals. In fact, out of all the times that both awards have been given out, only four players have won MVP in the regular season but not in the finals.
So if you want to be crowned NBA MVP, make sure you bring your A-game come playoff time!

Emma, the founder of The Info Book, started with a passion for Sports Blogging in 2013. He has continued his passion for Blogging and desire to improve his skills and wanted to share his journey and helpful knowledge with other like-minded individuals.
He launched The Info Book as an outlet for those interested in learning more about Sports in hopes they can take what they learn and apply it for themselves!