NBA Finals

How is the NBA Finals MVP Selected? The Voters, The Process, and Finals MVPs from Last 20 Years

How the NBA Finals MVP is Picked

So, there’s a lot of discussion on how the NBA Finals MVP is picked? With Luka’s performance in the 2024 Finals so far, the related question is if the MVP has to be on the winning team? Some years, it’s pretty obvious which player has played above and beyond the level of the others on their winning team. Other years, it’s a little more ambiguous (see Andre Iguodala winning in 2015). We’ll get into the process a bit, then show you who has won the Bill Russell MVP award the past 15 or so years.

How the NBA Finals MVP is Picked? 

If you want to know how the NBA Finals MVP is picked, the process is straight forward. There are 11 media members selected ahead of the finals. After the last game (ie we have a champion), those 11 folks cast a vote for who they think the MVP should be. The voters are normally picked from a group of national and international sports reporters.

The number of media memebers voting is always 11 so the chance of the voting ending in a tie is reduced. We also don’t get to know who is voting ahead of the Finals to keep from being able to include the voters, but after the vote happens, the voting is released. Here were the eleven voters that made Jaylen Brown the 2024 NBA Finals MVP:

NBA Finals MVP Voters
Voter Organization Voted For
Sam Amick The Athletic Jaylen Brown
Malika Andrews ESPN Jayson Tatum
Tim Bontemps ESPN Jaylen Brown
Doris Burke ABC Jayson Tatum
PJ Carlesimo ESPN Jayson Tatum
Mike Curtis Dallas Morning News Jaylen Brown
Vince Goodwill Yahoo Jaylen Brown
Shaun Powell NBA.com Jaylen Brown
Simone Sandri La Gazetta dello Sport Jaylen Brown
Gary Washburn Boston Globe Jayson Tatum
Jeff Zillgitt USA Today Jaylen Brown

Does the Finals MVP have to be on the Winning Team?

There is no rule that requires the NBA Finals MVP to be on the winning team. Convention has taken over here. Jerry West was the last player to win the MVP being on the losing team for the LA Lakers in 1969. Of the other 54 Finals MVP awards, none have gone to a player on the losing team since then. Not to say we won’t see this, but there you go. 

Who has the Most NBA Finals MVP Awards? 

Of the 55 NBA Finals MVP awards, Michael Jordan has won the most with six awards. Lebron James has the second-most MVP awards with four. The trophy did not have its own title until 2008. From then on, the NBA now calls the winner the Bill Russell Finals MVP Award winner. Kobe Bryant was the first player to earn the trophy under the new name. 

Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP Winners (Since 2009)

Here are all of the NBA Finals winners since it was rebranded to the Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP. The Joker won it in 2023. We’ll update the list once we’ve had a 2024 MVP winner selected and announced for you. 

NBA Finals MVP
Player Year Team
Jaylen Brown 2024 Boston Celtics
Nikola Jokic 2023 Denver Nuggets
Stephen Curry 2022 Golden State Warriors
Giannis Antetokounmpo 2021 Milwaukee Bucks
LeBron James 2020 Los Angeles Lakers
Kawhi Leonard 2019 Toronto Raptors
Kevin Durant 2018 Golden State Warriors
Kevin Durant 2017 Golden State Warriors
LeBron James 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers
Andre Iguodala 2015 Golden State Warriors
Kawhi Leonard 2014 San Antonio Spurs
LeBron James 2013 Miami Heat
LeBron James 2012 Miami Heat
Dirk Nowitzki 2011 Dallas Mavericks
Kobe Bryant 2010 Los Angeles Lakers
Kobe Bryant 2009 Los Angeles Lakers
Paul Pierce 2008 Boston Celtics
Tony Parker 2007 San Antonio Spurs
Dwyane Wade 2006 Miami Heat
Tim Duncan 2005 San Antonio Spurs
Chauncey Billups 2004 Detroit Pistons
Tim Duncan 2003 San Antonio Spurs

2023 NBA Finals MVP Award Highlights

Here’s the video highlights of Nikola Jokic winning the 2023 NBA Finals MVP award. 

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