If you're asking who won MVP last year, you're likely looking for a specific name from a specific sport. But here’s the thing: "last year" in the sports world is a moving target. Since we are currently in January 2026, the 2025 calendar year just wrapped up, and it was a massive year for individual hardware. We saw a hockey goalie do the unthinkable, a Canadian point guard finally take the throne in the NBA, and Shohei Ohtani... well, doing Ohtani things.
Honestly, the MVP debates in 2025 were some of the most heated I’ve ever seen. You had traditionalists arguing over "value" versus "stats," and in a few cases, the voters actually got it right. Let’s break down exactly who took home the most prestigious individual awards across the major leagues during the 2024-2025 cycles.
Who Won MVP Last Year in the NBA?
In the NBA, the 2024-25 season was defined by a changing of the guard. For years, the conversation was dominated by Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid, and Giannis Antetokounmpo. But in May 2025, the league officially crowned Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder as the 2025 NBA Most Valuable Player.
It wasn't a fluke. SGA was basically a walking bucket for the entire season. He led the league in scoring with a ridiculous 32.7 points per game. But more than just the scoring, he guided a young OKC team to a league-best 68–14 record. You’ve gotta remember how young that team was.
He didn’t just win; he dominated the voting. Shai grabbed 71 out of 100 first-place votes. Jokic finished second, which sort of felt like the end of an era for the "Big Honey" dominance for a moment. SGA also became the second Canadian ever to win the honor, following in the footsteps of the legend Steve Nash.
What People Missed About Shai’s Run
People talk about the scoring, but his defense was top-tier. He was among the league leaders in steals while shooting over 51% from the field. That’s efficiency you usually only see from centers, not a guard who creates his own shot. Later in June, he capped it off by winning Finals MVP too. Just total dominance.
The NFL MVP Race (2024 Season)
Football operates on a weird schedule where the "last year" MVP is actually crowned early in the current year. On February 6, 2025, during the NFL Honors in New Orleans, Josh Allen finally won his first career NFL MVP.
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This one was controversial. Kinda depends on who you talk to in Baltimore. Lamar Jackson actually had better passing yards, more passing touchdowns, and fewer interceptions. He even became the first player ever to throw for 4,000 yards and rush for over 800 in the same season.
So why did Allen win?
- The "Value" Factor: Voters felt Allen carried a Bills team that was supposed to "backslide" after trading Stefon Diggs.
- Rushing Touchdowns: Allen punched it into the end zone 12 times on the ground.
- Record: The Bills finished 13-4 and snatched the No. 2 seed.
Allen edged out Lamar by a narrow margin—27 first-place votes to Lamar's 23. It was the first time since 2012 that a quarterback who wasn't a First-Team All-Pro (Lamar took that honor) won the MVP.
MLB: Two History-Making Seasons
Baseball is unique because they give out two awards. If you're looking for who won MVP last year in MLB (the 2025 season), you're looking at two guys who are basically lock-ins for the Hall of Fame already.
American League: Aaron Judge
Aaron Judge is a giant, and he plays like it. He won his third AL MVP in 2025. He hit .331 with 53 home runs. But the race was actually super tight. Cal Raleigh, the Mariners' catcher, hit 60 home runs—a record for catchers. Voters were split. Do you reward the guy who had the better "slash line" (Judge) or the guy who hit 60 bombs while playing the most physically demanding position in sports? They went with Judge.
National League: Shohei Ohtani
Ohtani is a cheat code. He won the NL MVP unanimously for the fourth time. He’s the first player to win multiple MVPs in both leagues. In 2025, he hit 55 home runs and somehow still found time to pitch 47 innings with a 2.87 ERA. It’s getting to the point where they might need to rename the award after him.
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NHL: The Year of the Goalie
Hockey usually favors the high-scoring forwards like McDavid or MacKinnon. But 2025 was different. Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets won the Hart Memorial Trophy.
It is incredibly hard for a goalie to win MVP. The last one to do it was Carey Price way back in 2015. Hellebuyck was just on another planet. 47 wins. A 2.00 goals-against average. Eight shutouts. He basically willed the Jets to their first-ever Presidents' Trophy.
He beat out Leon Draisaitl and Nikita Kucherov in what was a "razor-thin" voting margin. If you want to know how much he meant to that team, just look at the gap between him and the next best goalie—he had nine more wins than anyone else in the league.
WNBA: A’ja Wilson’s GOAT Claim
If we’re talking about pure dominance in 2025, no one touches A’ja Wilson. She won her record-breaking fourth WNBA MVP last year.
She didn't just win; she had the greatest season in the history of the league. Seriously.
- Scoring title? Yes.
- Regular Season MVP? Yes.
- Defensive Player of the Year? Yes.
- Finals MVP? Yes.
She averaged 26.4 points and 11.7 rebounds. She is only 29 years old and has already surpassed legends like Sheryl Swoopes and Lisa Leslie in total MVPs. At this point, the debate isn't whether she's the MVP; it's whether she's the greatest of all time.
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How to Use This Information
Knowing who won MVP last year is great for trivia or winning an argument at the bar, but there’s a pattern here you should notice.
Betting Markets: If you look at the 2026 odds (which are out now), the "incumbent" doesn't always repeat. In the NFL, repeat winners are rare. In the NBA, voters often get "voter fatigue."
Stat Trends: Efficiency is starting to beat raw volume. Shai won over Jokic not just because of points, but because of his two-way play. Judge won over Raleigh because his OBP (On-Base Percentage) was nearly 100 points higher, despite having fewer homers.
Next Steps for Sports Fans:
- Check the current 2026 MVP "ladders" on sites like ESPN or Basketball-Reference to see if these winners are maintaining their pace.
- Watch the NFL playoffs (happening right now in Jan 2026) to see if the likely 2025 season MVP candidates are stepping up.
- Keep an eye on injury reports—MVP races are almost always decided by who stays healthy through the "dog days" of the season.
Whether you're a die-hard Thunder fan or just trying to keep up with the Ohtani hype train, 2025 was a year where the trophies mostly went to the players who didn't just have the best stats, but the biggest impact on their team's win column.