On Wednesday, it was announced that Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic has been named the 2023-24 MVP. It is the third time in the last four seasons that the 29-year-old has received this hardware. The one season he didn’t in that stretch (2022-23, where he was the runner-up), he instead won the NBA Finals and was named Finals MVP.
The complete voting results for the 2023-24 Kia NBA Most Valuable Player. pic.twitter.com/Dqbd7MaRjC
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) May 8, 2024
While Jokic’s Nuggets have their work currently cut out for them with a 2-0 series deficit against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference Semifinals, he joins a historic group of NBA superstars who have won at least three MVP awards.
Here are the other eight legendary players who have accomplished the feat throughout the history of the NBA.
Nikola Jokic and the 8 Others to Win at Least 3 MVPs
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (6)
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar cleaned up in winning MVP trophies in the 1970s. The league’s second-all-time leading scorer won three with the Milwaukee Bucks and an additional three with the Los Angeles Lakers. He won six NBA championships, five with the Lakers and one with the Bucks.
Michael Jordan, Bill Russell (5)
Many people’s choice as their GOAT, Michael Jordan won four of his MVPs in the 1990s. In addition, he also was named Finals MVP six times, winning it in all six of his championship seasons. His 30.1 scoring average is the highest in NBA history.
ON THIS DAY IN 1989…
Michael Jordan ousted Cleveland with one of the most iconic shots in NBA history! #NBAVault pic.twitter.com/oLKYsLQ7jT
— NBA History (@NBAHistory) May 7, 2024
Bill Russell is seen by many as the greatest winner of all time, as evidenced by his 11 titles as a player in 13 seasons. The Boston Celtics lifer won four of his MVPs in the 1960s.
LeBron James, Wilt Chamberlain (4)
The NBA’s all-time leading scorer (40,474 points), LeBron James is still going strong after completing his 21st season. He won two MVPs while playing with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat.
15 years ago today, LeBron took home the MVP award for the very 1st time 👑pic.twitter.com/cp4TvbzY9D
— Bron’s Best (@LBJsBest) May 4, 2024
A seven-time scoring champ, Wilt Chamberlain holds many records still today that will likely go untouched. His first MVP came with the Philadelphia Warriors, and then he won three in a row with the Philadelphia 76ers from 1965-66 until 1967-68.
Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Moses Malone (3)
A three-peat was in order for Larry Bird, who took home the award for three straight seasons from 1983-84 until 1985-86. The three-time NBA champion was runner-up for MVP each of the previous three seasons before breaking through.
The all-time leader in assists per game (11.2), Magic Johnson was a wizard with the ball during his tenure with the ‘Showtime’ Lakers. The five-time NBA champion won MVP awards in the 1986-87, 1988-89, and 1989-90 seasons.
Nicknamed ‘Chairman of the Boards’, Moses Malone led the league in rebounding six times over a seven-season stretch. Malone won his first two MVP awards with the Houston Rockets and his third with the 76ers.
