Every player who has won the NBA’s regular-season Most Valuable Player award twice or more, ranked by awards, as of October 28, 2026 (including the 2025–26 award, announced in May 2026). Kareem Abdul-Jabbar holds the record with 6.
Pictured: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s sky hook, from the NBA’s compilation of 70 of them; he is #1 with 6 MVP awards.
| Rank | Player | MVP awards | Years won | Team(s) when won | Active? | Career note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 6 | 1971, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1980 | Milwaukee Bucks (3), Los Angeles Lakers (3) | No | 6-time NBA champion |
| 2 | Michael Jordan | 5 | 1988, 1991, 1992, 1996, 1998 | Chicago Bulls | No | 6-time NBA champion |
| 2 | Bill Russell | 5 | 1958, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1965 | Boston Celtics | No | 11-time NBA champion |
| 4 | LeBron James | 4 | 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013 | Cleveland Cavaliers (2), Miami Heat (2) | Yes | 4-time NBA champion |
| 4 | Wilt Chamberlain | 4 | 1960, 1966, 1967, 1968 | Philadelphia Warriors (1960), Philadelphia 76ers (3) | No | 2-time NBA champion |
| 6 | Nikola Jokić | 3 | 2021, 2022, 2024 | Denver Nuggets | Yes | 1-time NBA champion (2023) |
| 6 | Magic Johnson | 3 | 1987, 1989, 1990 | Los Angeles Lakers | No | 5-time NBA champion |
| 6 | Larry Bird | 3 | 1984, 1985, 1986 | Boston Celtics | No | 3-time NBA champion |
| 6 | Moses Malone | 3 | 1979, 1982, 1983 | Houston Rockets (2), Philadelphia 76ers (1983) | No | 1-time NBA champion (1983) |
| 10 | Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | 2 | 2025, 2026 | Oklahoma City Thunder | Yes | 1-time NBA champion (2025) |
| 10 | Giannis Antetokounmpo | 2 | 2019, 2020 | Milwaukee Bucks | Yes | 1-time NBA champion (2021) |
| 10 | Stephen Curry | 2 | 2015, 2016 | Golden State Warriors | Yes | 4-time NBA champion |
| 10 | Tim Duncan | 2 | 2002, 2003 | San Antonio Spurs | No | 5-time NBA champion |
| 10 | Karl Malone | 2 | 1997, 1999 | Utah Jazz | No | No NBA championship |
| 10 | Steve Nash | 2 | 2005, 2006 | Phoenix Suns | No | No NBA championship |
| 10 | Bob Pettit | 2 | 1956, 1959 | St. Louis Hawks | No | 1-time NBA champion (1958) |
No matching rows.
As of October 28, 2026, including the 2025–26 award, which went to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder and was announced in mid-May 2026.[3][4] This counts the regular-season award, the Maurice Podoloff Trophy, first given for the 1955–56 season and listed here by the year the season ended; Finals MVP and All-Star Game MVP are separate awards and are not counted.[1][2] Players tied on awards share a rank and are listed in the order of their first win, and the next rank skips the places taken by the tie: three players are tied at #2 and #4 is shared by two, and the seven players on 2 awards all share #10. Only nine players have won three or more, so the table runs down to the full group of seven two-time winners, 16 players in all; the 21 other players who won once are left out. Marked active are players listed as still playing in the NBA at this date, which can change when a player retires. The year given is the season’s ending year, so “2026” is the 2025–26 season. The table only changes when an award is announced, normally in the spring.
Abdul-Jabbar won in 1971, 1972 and 1974 with the Milwaukee Bucks and in 1976, 1977 and 1980 with the Los Angeles Lakers, more than anyone else.[1][2] He won six NBA championships, the first with the Bucks in 1971 and the rest with the Lakers.[1] The video is the NBA’s compilation of 70 of his sky hooks.
Jordan won in 1988, 1991, 1992, 1996 and 1998, every time as a Chicago Bull, and the Bulls won six championships.[1][2] His Finals MVP awards, which are a separate honor, are not counted here. The video is the NBA’s Bulls mixtape from its “Jordan Vault” series.
Russell won in 1958, 1961, 1962, 1963 and 1965, all with the Boston Celtics, and won 11 NBA championships, the most of any player.[1][2] The video is the NBA’s clip of the Celtics’ opening-night tribute to him.
James won in 2009 and 2010 with the Cleveland Cavaliers and in 2012 and 2013 with the Miami Heat, and the Heat won the championship in both of the latter years.[1][2] He has won four championships in all, with three different teams.[1] The video is the NBA’s clip of his first award, in 2009.
Chamberlain won as a rookie in 1960 with the Philadelphia Warriors, the franchise that is now the Golden State Warriors, and in 1966, 1967 and 1968 with the Philadelphia 76ers.[1][2] The 76ers won the 1967 championship, and he won a second with the Lakers in 1972.[1] The video, from the Golden State Warriors, is about his 100-point game in 1962, not about an MVP season.
Jokić won in 2021, 2022 and 2024 with the Denver Nuggets and is from Serbia.[1][2] He was one of the three finalists for the 2026 award, which went to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.[3] The video is ESPN’s clip of his reaction to the third award.
Johnson won in 1987, 1989 and 1990, all with the Los Angeles Lakers, who won five championships with him.[1][2] The video is the NBA’s career mixtape.
Bird won three years running, 1984, 1985 and 1986, all with the Boston Celtics, and the Celtics won the championship in 1984 and 1986.[1][2] The video is the NBA’s career mixtape.
Malone won in 1979 and 1982 with the Houston Rockets and in 1983 with the Philadelphia 76ers, the year the 76ers won the championship.[1][2] The video is the NBA’s look at his 1983 season.
Gilgeous-Alexander won in 2025 and 2026 with the Oklahoma City Thunder; the 2026 award was announced in mid-May 2026, ahead of finalists Nikola Jokić and Victor Wembanyama.[3][4] He is the newest name in the table and one of seven players tied on 2 awards.[1] The video is the NBA’s announcement of the 2025–26 award.