The NBA typically gives its Finals MVP awards to players who meet certain criterias... but what if the MVP was just given to the best player? We're looking at who would win it in those cases from its inception in 1969, to the present.

SPOILERS FOR THE RESULTS BELOW...

The winners of the “Real MVPs”

69: West
70: West*
71: Kareem
72: Wilt
73: Frazier*
74: Kareem*
75: Barry
76: Cowens*
77: Erving*
78: Hayes*
79: D. Johnson
80: Magic
81: Bird*
82: Magic
83: Moses
84: Bird
85: Magic
86: Bird
87: Magic
88: Magic*
89: Dumars
90: Isiah
91: Jordan
92: Jordan
93: Jordan
94: Hakeem
95: Hakeem
96: Kemp*
97: Jordan
98: Jordan
99: Duncan
00: Shaq
01: Shaq
02: Shaq
03: Duncan
04: Shaq*
05: Duncan
06: Wade
07: Parker
08: Garnett*
09: Kobe
10: Kobe
11: Wade*
12: LeBron
13: LeBron
14: LeBron*
15: LeBron*
16: LeBron
17: Durant
18: Durant
19: Kawhi
20: LeBron
21: Giannis
22: Steph

Leaders in “Real” FMVPs

LeBron: 6
Jordan: 5
Magic: 5
Shaq: 4
Duncan: 3
Bird: 3
Hakeem: 2
Kobe: 2
Durant: 2
Kareem: 2
West: 2
Wade: 2


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The game of Basketball has been my passion since I was 5 years old. I grew up as a kid watching my dad's recorded VHS tapes of playoff games through the 70s and 80s, and collected all the Basketball cards. Something about the game and what it represents just hooked me from a very young age.
My love for the game only continues to grow as time goes on. I love studying and analyzing the game, with an unbiased perspective. Feel free to subscribe, follow me on social media, and celebrate this amazing game and it's rich history with me!
I post videos every week on NBA history, predictions, hypothetical scenarios and current NBA topics.

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Intro Music: Turn On - RW Smith https://youtu.be/EzIBvLO8V9s​​​​​​​​​​

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