Credit: NBA
The National Basketball Association (NBA) 2024-25 season concluded with Oklahoma City Thunder getting the better of Indiana Pacers in Game 7 of the finals. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander again stepped up for Thunder and emerged as the MVP Final for notching up 29 points earned through 12 assists and five rebounds in 40 minutes. Riding on his sensational performance, Thunder registered a 103-91 win in the contest. Talking about his average in the tournament, he averaged 32.7 with rebounds of 5.0 and 6.4 assists. Shai has broken into the list of players who have won NBA season and finals the same year. Noting Alexander’s magnificent feat, SportsTiger has come up with 10 other players who won the NBA season and finals MVP the same year.
11. Willis Reed for New York Knicks in 1969-70
In the 1969-70 season, Willis Reed looked unprecedented and bagged the All-Star Game MVP and the regular-edition MVP honours with a career-best average of 21.7 points and 13.9 rebounds per game. In Game 7, Knicks clinched a 14-point victory and Willis became the Finals MVP for averaging a team-high scoring average of 23.0 points and 10.5 rebounds.
10. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for Milwaukee Bucks in 1970-71
In 1971, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar scripted history for Milwaukee Bucks at the age of 23. He played a vital role in Bucks’ maiden and only title win in the tournament. He appeared in 32 games in the season and averaged 31.7 points, 16.0 rebounds and 3.3 assists. In the finals, he averaged 27.0 points, 18.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 4 games.
9. Moses Malone for Philadelphia 76ers in 1982-83
In 1982, when Philadelphia 76ers won their fifth title, Moses Malone did a remarkable job for them. He looked dominant in the competition, averaging 24.5 points, 15.3 rebounds and 2.0 blocks in 78 games. In the finals against the Los Angeles Lakers, he averaged 25.8 points with 18.0 rebounds and two assists in four games.
8. Larry Bird for Boston Celtics in 1983-84 and 1985-86
Boston Celtics announced their dominance in the 1983-84 NBA season, beating the Los Angeles Lakers in the finals by 4-3. Bird looked superb in the tournament as he averaged 24.2 points, 10.1 rebounds, 6.6 assists, and 1.8 steals per game. In the finals, he pulled off Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP) award, averaging 27 points and 14 rebounds a game. He replicated the similar performance in 1985-86 season as well.
7. Magic Johnson for Boston Celtics in 1986-87
In 1987, Boston Celtics defended their title successfully for the third consecutive time and in this triumph, Magic Johsnon put up a scintillating show. In his 80 outings, he averaged 23.9 points, 12.2 assists and 6.3 rebounds.
6. Michael B. Jordan for Chicago Bulls in 1990-91
Michael Jordan looked spectacular for the Chicago Bulls in the 1990-91 NBA season. In the Bulls' maiden title victory, he averaged 31.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 5.5 assists in 82 games. Talking about his numbers in the final, he averaged 31.2 points, 11.4 assists and 6.6 rebounds in five games. He went on to record the same success in 1991-92, 1992-92, 1996-97, 1997-98, and 1998-99 installments.
5. Hakeem Olajuwon for Houston Rockets in 1993-94
When Houston Rockets claimed their third title in the 1993-94 season, Hakeem Olajuwon made a remarkable contribution. He averaged 27.3 points, 11.9 rebounds and 3.7 blocks in 80 games played in the season. In the finals against the New York Knicks, he averaged 26.9 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 3.9 blocks in the seven-game series.
4. Shaquille O'Neal for Indiana Pacers in 1999-2000
Indiana Pacers registered their maiden title success in the NBA in 1999-2000. Shaquille O'Neal, with his diligence and perseverance, recorded 29.7 points, 13.6 rebounds and 3.8 assists in 79 games. In the finals against the Los Angeles Lakers, his average was 38.0 points, 16.7 rebounds, and 2.7 blocks per game.
3. Tim Duncan for San Antonio Spurs in 2002-03
In the 2002-03 season, Tim Duncan put up a magnificent show as he averaged 23.3 points, a career-high 12.9 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 2.9 blocks per game in the season. In the finals of six games for San Antonio Spurs against Brooklyn Nets, he averaged 24.2 points, 17.0 rebounds and 5.3 assists.
2. LeBron James for Miami Heat in 2011-12
LeBron James looked stellar for Miami Heat in the 2011-12 NBA installment. It was his extraordinary performance that helped Miami lift the illustrious trophy. In 62 games, he averaged 27.1 points, 7.9 rebounds and 6.2 assists. Discussing his performance in NBA finals, he averaged 17.8 points, 7.2 rebounds and 6.8 assists in six games. He went on to put up the similar performance in the 2012-13 season as well.
1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for Oklahoma City Thunder in 2024-25
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander played a crucial role in Oklahoma City Thunder’s first title victory. He averaged 32.7 with rebounds of 5.0 and 6.4 assists. In the finals, he recorded the average of 34.2 points with five rebounds and 12 assists.
