22 Best NBA Players to Never Win MVP

The NBA MVP symbolizes the greatness of an individual player more than any other award. While it should go to the most valuable athlete in the association, it often ends up in the hands of someone having a special season. Not everyone can take home the highest award in the NBA- some incredible players never got to put the hardware up in front of their home crowd. 

1. Jerry West

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Jerry West invigorated the Lakers after George Mikan’s retirement and became the first transcendent basketball star in Los Angeles. Averaging over 30 points per game on four different occasions, West typically lost out on MVP awards due to the brilliance displayed by Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain.

2. Elgin Baylor

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Another superstar for the Lakers in the 1960s, Elgin Baylor, teamed with Jerry West to form a mind-blowing tandem that somehow never won an NBA championship together. Baylor’s best season was shortened by a trip overseas while participating in the military, but he probably would have lost out on the MVP to Wilt Chamberlain in 1962.

3. Isiah Thomas

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Isiah Thomas horned his way into the upper hierarchy of the NBA in the 1980s with the Detroit Pistons. Even though he led the team to glory in 1989 and 1990, Thomas lost MVPs to Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson. Zeke never superseded those two stars.

4. Dwyane Wade

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LeBron James overshadowed Dwyane Wade for most of his career. He first lost out on MVPs to James when the two were competing against one another, and then he got put on the back burner when playing alongside the King with the Miami Heat. Wade’s excellence on both offense and defense should always be celebrated.

5. John Havlicek

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John Havlicek was outshined by MVP teammates such as Bill Russell early in his career and Dave Cowens later. Both men would most likely attribute most of the Celtics’ success to Hondo. Havlicek revolutionized the do-everything small forward during the pre-1980s NBA.

6. Scottie Pippen

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Scottie Pippen benefited from and was impeded by Michael Jordan’s presence on the Chicago Bulls. Pippen couldn’t win MVPs playing next to His Airness, but he often didn’t possess the alpha dog mentality to lead a team. The closest he came to winning an MVP came in 1994 when Jordan played baseball.

7. Rick Barry

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Rick Barry won every award there was to take home except the MVP. The Golden State Warriors legend stormed to the 1975 NBA title with a bag of offensive skills such as long-distance shots and underhanded free throws. Barry’s game would translate very well to the modern day.

8. Chris Paul

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Chris Paul came close to winning MVP in 2008 but lost out to Kobe Bryant. The Point God orchestrates his team’s offensive attack with precision passing and timely shots from all over the court. Many people feel that CP3 is his era's best pure point guard. Paul almost always makes every team he joins immediately better.

9. John Stockton

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John Stockton benefited from passing the ball to two-time MVP Karl Malone, but the heady floor general deserves just as much credit for Utah’s success during the 1990s. Despite Malone getting most of the credit, Stockton often came up clutch when the Mailman failed to deliver during the most crucial parts of games.

10. Kawhi Leonard

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Kawhi Leonard has won two NBA Finals MVPs but has never taken home the regular season award due to injuries. Leonard was second to Steph Curry in 2016 but has never gotten that close again. The Clippers’ forward applies his length, guile, and athleticism to take over games on both ends of the court.

11. Patrick Ewing

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Patrick Ewing anchored the middle of the court for the New York Knicks throughout the 1990s, fighting valiantly to defeat his talented peers like David Robinson and Hakeem Olajuwon. Ewing’s rivals won awards and titles, but he could never match their success.

12. Luka Dončić

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Luka will undoubtedly win an MVP at some point. Still one of the best players under 25 years old, the successor to LeBron James is a massive, heliocentric offensive mastermind who puts up daunting stats daily with the Dallas Mavericks.

13. Jason Kidd

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Jason Kidd should definitely have an MVP award if the basis for winning is strictly who means the most to their team. Kidd did everything for the New Jersey Nets in the early 2000s, leading them to multiple NBA Finals appearances without a secondary co-star.

14. Kevin McHale

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Kevin McHale wasn’t going to win MVP when he played next to Larry Bird, but the Boston Celtics’ power forward did more than just ride on the back of his legendary teammate. McHale could put up 30 to 40 points at will, twisting and turning through the post defense to find an angle at the basket.

15. Clyde Drexler

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Clyde Drexler served as the bonafide alpha dog of the Portland Trail Blazers in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He glided through the air and soared to new heights, but Michael Jordan always overshadowed him. Drexler finished as high as second in MVP voting to Jordan in 1992 and then lost to him in the NBA Finals that spring.

16. Elvin Hayes

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The Big E put up points in a hurry for the Washington Bullets in the 1970s, serving as a precursor to the types of power forwards that would take over the league in the ensuing decades. Hayes never won MVP due to his team often underperforming or a rival such as Dave Cowens or Bob McAdoo having a better season.

17. Dwight Howard

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Dwight Howard littered his career with mishaps in the 2010s, but that shouldn’t mean folks forget the greatness he exhibited for the Orlando Magic in the late 2000s. Howard jumped and dunked over his competition, winning three Defensive Player of the Year awards but losing MVP to LeBron in 2009 and 2010.

18. Damian Lillard

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Damian Lillard is undoubtedly one of the best players of the current era. Still, his Portland teams never won enough games for him to be in the running for basketball’s ultimate individual honor. With Giannis by his side in Milwaukee, Lillard has his sights set on the NBA championship in 2024 and beyond.

19. Gary Payton

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Gary Payton became more known for his mouth than his game, but the Glove always backed up his talk with more than enough defensive intensity and playmaking. Payton elevated the Seattle SuperSonics into contention throughout the 1990s and finished as high as sixth in MVP voting in 1996.

20. Nate Thurmond

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Nate Thurmond presented a unique set of skills to his opponents during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Thurmond anchored the Warriors’ defense and put up 15 to 20 points per game but missed out on MVP hardware due to Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

21. George Gervin

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George Gervin won four scoring titles with the San Antonio Spurs, but a lack of team success meant the Iceman never got MVP honors. Centers with bigger impacts on their teams, such as Bill Walton and Moses Malone, took home the trophy during the Gervin’s peak.

22. Carmelo Anthony

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Carmelo Anthony is similar to George Gervin. Another high-volume scorer with plenty of moves and skills, Melo led the Nuggets to the Western Conference Finals in 2009 and the Knicks to the Eastern Conference semifinals in 2013. Anthony lost MVP to LeBron James most of the time.