You know, basketball is a weird game. We spend months talking about "who's the best," but honestly, it all boils down to about two weeks in June (or sometimes July). The Larry O’Brien trophy is the big prize, sure. But that individual hardware—the Bill Russell Finals MVP trophy—that’s the one that defines a legacy. If you look at the list of NBA champions and Finals MVP winners over the last 75-plus years, you see more than just names. You see the evolution of the sport itself.
From the era of the "big man" dominance to the positionless, three-point-heavy chaos of 2026, the history is basically a roadmap of how we got here.
The Modern Era: Shai, Jaylen, and a Whole Lot of Parity
Look at the last couple of years. It’s been wild. In 2025, the Oklahoma City Thunder finally climbed the mountain after a 56-year drought that stretched back to their Seattle days. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander didn't just win it; he basically took over the series against the Pacers. He joined the ranks of the elites by snagging that Finals MVP after already being the league’s scoring champ that season.
Before that? The Boston Celtics reminded everyone why they’re the most storied franchise in the league. They took down Dallas in 2024, and Jaylen Brown walked away with the MVP. Most people thought it would be Tatum. Honestly, Brown’s defensive intensity was just different.
- 2025: Oklahoma City Thunder (Finals MVP: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander)
- 2024: Boston Celtics (Finals MVP: Jaylen Brown)
- 2023: Denver Nuggets (Finals MVP: Nikola Jokić)
- 2022: Golden State Warriors (Finals MVP: Stephen Curry)
- 2021: Milwaukee Bucks (Finals MVP: Giannis Antetokounmpo)
It’s kinda crazy that Steph Curry had to wait until 2022 to get his first Finals MVP. He had three rings already! But that just goes to show how weird the voting can be. In 2015, the voters gave it to Andre Iguodala for "stopping" LeBron, even though LeBron averaged like 35, 13, and 8.
The Weirdness of 1969: Jerry West’s Bitter Trophy
If you want to talk about the most awkward moment in NBA history, we have to talk about 1969. This was the first year they actually gave out a Finals MVP award.
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The Boston Celtics beat the Los Angeles Lakers in seven games. It was Bill Russell’s final season—his 11th ring. But the award didn't go to a Celtic. It went to Jerry West. To this day, West is the only player to ever win the Finals MVP while being on the losing team.
He hated it.
He reportedly thought the trophy was a joke because he lost. Imagine being so good that the media says, "Yeah, your team lost the series, but you were still clearly the best person on the floor." He averaged nearly 38 points a game in that series. That's just stupidly good for an era without a three-point line.
The Dynasty Years: Jordan, Shaq, and LeBron
The 90s belonged to one guy. Michael Jordan has six of these trophies. Six. He never lost a Finals, and he never let anyone else touch the MVP trophy when he was there. It’s the ultimate "GOAT" argument stat.
Then you get the 2000s, where Shaquille O'Neal and Tim Duncan just traded dominance. Shaq is one of only two players (the other being MJ) to win three of these in a row. When he was with the Lakers from 2000 to 2002, there was basically no one on Earth who could stop him.
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And then there's LeBron James.
LeBron’s list of NBA champions and Finals MVP honors is unique because he’s the only guy to win it with three different teams: the Heat, the Cavs, and the Lakers. His 2016 run where he brought Cleveland back from a 3-1 deficit is probably the peak of individual basketball performance.
The Full Historical Record
Before 1969, the Finals MVP didn't exist, which is why Bill Russell has zero despite having 11 rings. The NBA eventually renamed the trophy after him in 2009 to make up for it.
Here is how the history looks when you sort through the decades.
The 2010s: The Era of Superteams
In 2019, Kawhi Leonard did the unthinkable and won it with the Toronto Raptors. He’d already won one with the Spurs in 2014. The rest of the decade was a blur of Golden State and Miami. Kevin Durant picked up two (2017, 2018), and Kobe Bryant grabbed his final one in 2010 after a brutal seven-game war against the Celtics.
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The 1980s: Magic vs. Bird
This was the peak of the Lakers-Celtics rivalry. Magic Johnson won it as a rookie in 1980. He started at center for an injured Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in Game 6 and put up 42 points. A rookie. Doing that. Honestly, we'll probably never see anything like that again. Larry Bird snagged two (1984, 1986), and even "unheralded" guys like Cedric Maxwell (1981) and James Worthy (1988) got theirs.
The 1970s: Chaos and New Faces
The 70s were parity-central. You had the Knicks winning with Willis Reed (1970, 1973), the Bucks with a young Kareem (then Lew Alcindor) in 1971, and the Blazers with Bill Walton in 1977. It was a decade where the "superstar" wasn't always on a dynasty team.
Why the Finals MVP Matters More Than the Ring
There’s a reason we debate this list so much. A championship is a team stat. Robert Horry has seven rings, but he isn't in anyone's Top 10 list. But the Finals MVP? That’s the "alpha" badge.
When you look at the list of NBA champions and Finals MVP recipients, you notice that very few "average" players ever win it. Usually, it's the 1% of the 1%. Occasionally, you get a Chauncey Billups (2004) or a Tony Parker (2007)—guys who were great but maybe not "top-tier superstars"—who win because they played perfect team basketball.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Historians
If you're trying to memorize this list or use it for a deep-dive project, don't just look at the points per game. Look at the context of the series.
- Check the Games Played: Many MVPs are crowned after a 4-0 sweep, but the real legends are the ones who win it in a Game 7, like LeBron in 2016 or Giannis in 2021 (who dropped 50 in the clincher).
- Defense Matters: Don't overlook guys like Kawhi (2014) or Ben Wallace’s impact on the 2004 Pistons. Sometimes the MVP isn't the leading scorer; it's the person who broke the other team's spirit.
- The "Gap" Record: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar holds the record for the longest time between Finals MVPs—14 years (1971 to 1985). That kind of longevity is basically superhuman.
To truly understand NBA history, you have to track these winners alongside the changing rules of the game. The move from the post to the perimeter is mirrored perfectly in the names on this list.