Double Glory: NBA players who won the MVP and championship in the same season

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander won the 2024–25 Most Valuable Player (MVP) award for his outstanding performances in the ongoing NBA season, giving him a chance to achieve something only a few illustrious players have managed during their careers.

If Gilgeous-Alexander can lead the Thunder to an NBA championship, he will join a list of players who have won both honors in a single league season. The feat of winning both the MVP and NBA championship in the same season has been accomplished 23 times across a total of 12 franchises.

Here, we take a look at the players who have won the MVP and NBA championship in the same season:

• Bill Russell (1961, 1962, 1963, 1965) – All four with the Boston Celtics

   

• Michael Jordan (1991, 1992, 1996, 1998) – All four with the Chicago Bulls

   

• Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1971, 1980) – One with the Milwaukee Bucks and one with the Los Angeles Lakers

   

• Larry Bird (1984, 1986) – Both with the Boston Celtics

   

• LeBron James (2012, 2013) – Both with the Miami Heat

   

• Bob Cousy (1957) – One with the Boston Celtics

   

• Willis Reed (1970) – One with the New York Knicks

   

• Moses Malone (1983) – One with the Philadelphia 76ers

   

• Magic Johnson (1987) – One with the Los Angeles Lakers

   

• Hakeem Olajuwon (1994) – One with the Houston Rockets

   

• Shaquille O’Neal (2000) – One with the Los Angeles Lakers

   

• Tim Duncan (2003) – One with the San Antonio Spurs

   

• Stephen Curry (2015) – One with the Golden State Warriors

   

Two all-time NBA icons, Bill Russell and Michael Jordan, lead the list, with both winning the MVP and NBA championship in the same season four times. They are followed by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Larry Bird, and LeBron James, who have each achieved the feat twice.

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