Most Valuable Players

This is a list of professional athletes who have received a league-wide Most Valuable Player award (or equivalent, such as "Player of the Year") for a season in a professional sports league.
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NameYearSportLeagueOther Names
Hank Aaron1957baseballMLB (NL)
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar1971basketballNBA(Alcindor)
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar1972basketballNBA(Alcindor)
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar1974basketballNBA(Alcindor)
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar1976basketballNBA(Alcindor)
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar1977basketballNBA(Alcindor)
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar1980basketballNBA(Alcindor)
Sid Abel1949ice hockeyNHL
José Abreu2020baseballMLB (AL)
Shaun Alexander2005footballNFL
Dick Allen1972baseballMLB (AL)
Marcus Allen1985footballNFL
José Altuve2017baseballMLB (AL)
Ken Anderson1981footballNFL
Tommy Anderson1942ice hockeyNHL
Giannis Antetokounmpo2019basketballNBA
Giannis Antetokounmpo2020basketballNBA
Jeff Bagwell1994baseballMLB (NL)
Ernie Banks1958baseballMLB (NL)
Ernie Banks1959baseballMLB (NL)
Charles Barkley1993basketballNBA
Andy Bathgate1959ice hockeyNHL
Don Baylor1979baseballMLB (AL)
Jean Béliveau1956ice hockeyNHL
Jean Béliveau1964ice hockeyNHL
George Bell1987baseballMLB (AL)
Cody Bellinger2019baseballMLB (NL)
Johnny Bench1970baseballMLB (NL)
Johnny Bench1972baseballMLB (NL)
Max Bentley1946ice hockeyNHL
Yogi Berra1951baseballMLB (AL)
Yogi Berra1954baseballMLB (AL)
Yogi Berra1955baseballMLB (AL)
Markus Lynn "Mookie" Betts2018baseballMLB (AL)
Larry Bird1984basketballNBA
Larry Bird1985basketballNBA
Larry Bird1986basketballNBA
Hector "Toe" Blake1939ice hockeyNHL
Vida Blue1971baseballMLB (AL)
Barry Bonds1990baseballMLB (NL)
Barry Bonds1992baseballMLB (NL)
Barry Bonds1993baseballMLB (NL)
Barry Bonds2001baseballMLB (NL)
Barry Bonds2002baseballMLB (NL)
Barry Bonds2003baseballMLB (NL)
Barry Bonds2004baseballMLB (NL)
Jim Bottomley1928baseballMLB (NL)
Lou Boudreau1948baseballMLB (AL)
Ken Boyer1964baseballMLB (NL)
Terry Bradshaw1978footballNFL
Tom Brady2007footballNFL
Tom Brady2010footballNFL
Tom Brady2017footballNFL
Ryan Braun2011baseballMLB (NL)
George Brett1980baseballMLB (AL)
John Brodie1970footballNFL
Jim Brown1965footballNFL
Larry Brown1972footballNFL
Kobe Bryant2008basketballNBA
Kris Bryant2016baseballMLB (NL)
Billy Burch1925ice hockeyNHL
George Burns1926baseballMLB (AL)
Jeff Burroughs1974baseballMLB (AL)
Miguel Cabrera2012baseballMLB (AL)
Miguel Cabrera2013baseballMLB (AL)
Dolph Camilli1941baseballMLB (NL)
Ken Caminiti1996baseballMLB (NL)
Roy Campanella1951baseballMLB (NL)
Roy Campanella1953baseballMLB (NL)
Roy Campanella1955baseballMLB (NL)
Earl Campbell1979footballNFL
José Canseco1988baseballMLB (AL)
Rod Carew1977baseballMLB (AL)
Phil Cavarretta1945baseballMLB (NL)
Orlando Cepeda1967baseballMLB (NL)
Wilt "the Stilt" Chamberlain1960basketballNBA
Wilt "the Stilt" Chamberlain1966basketballNBA
Wilt "the Stilt" Chamberlain1967basketballNBA
Wilt "the Stilt" Chamberlain1968basketballNBA
Spurgeon "Spud" Chandler1943baseballMLB (AL)
Bobby Clarke1973ice hockeyNHL
Bobby Clarke1975ice hockeyNHL
Bobby Clarke1976ice hockeyNHL
Roger Clemens1986baseballMLB (AL)
Roberto Clemente1966baseballMLB (NL)
Mickey Cochrane1928baseballMLB (AL)
Mickey Cochrane1934baseballMLB (AL)
Mort Cooper1942baseballMLB (NL)
Bob Cousy1957basketballNBA
Dave Cowens1973basketballNBA
Bill Cowley1941ice hockeyNHL
Bill Cowley1943ice hockeyNHL
Sidney Crosby2007ice hockeyNHL
Sidney Crosby2014ice hockeyNHL
Stephen Curry2015basketballNBA
Stephen Curry2016basketballNBA
Terrell Davis1998footballNFL
Andre Dawson1987baseballMLB (NL)
Jay Hanna "Dizzy" Dean1934baseballMLB (NL)
Joe DiMaggio1939baseballMLB (AL)
Joe DiMaggio1941baseballMLB (AL)
Joe DiMaggio1947baseballMLB (AL)
Josh Donaldson2015baseballMLB (AL)
Leon Draisaitl2020ice hockeyNHL
Tim Duncan2002basketballNBA
Tim Duncan2003basketballNBA
Kevin Durant2014basketballNBA
Dennis Eckersley1992baseballMLB (AL)
Bob Elliott1947baseballMLB (NL)
John Elway1987footballNFL
Joel Embiid2023basketballNBA
Julius Erving1981basketballNBA
Norman Julius "Boomer" Esiason1988footballNFL
Phil Esposito1969ice hockeyNHL
Phil Esposito1974ice hockeyNHL
Marshall Faulk2000footballNFL
Brett Favre1995footballNFL
Brett Favre1996footballNFL
Brett Favre1997footballNFL
Sergei Fedorov1994ice hockeyNHL(Fyodorov)
Rollie Fingers1981baseballMLB (AL)
Peter Forsberg2003ice hockeyNHL
George Foster1977baseballMLB (NL)
Nellie Fox1959baseballMLB (AL)
Jimmie Foxx1932baseballMLB (AL)
Jimmie Foxx1933baseballMLB (AL)
Jimmie Foxx1938baseballMLB (AL)
Freddie Freeman2020baseballMLB (NL)
Frankie Frisch1931baseballMLB (NL)
Roman Gabriel1969footballNFL
Rich Gannon2002footballNFL
Herb Gardiner1927ice hockeyNHL
Kevin Garnett2004basketballNBA
Steve Garvey1974baseballMLB (NL)
Lou Gehrig1927baseballMLB (AL)
Lou Gehrig1936baseballMLB (AL)
Charlie Gehringer1937baseballMLB (AL)
Bernie "Boom Boom" Geoffrion1961ice hockeyNHL
Jason Giambi2000baseballMLB (AL)
Bob Gibson1968baseballMLB (NL)
Kirk Gibson1988baseballMLB (NL)
Paul Goldschmidt2022baseballMLB (NL)
Juan González1996baseballMLB (AL)
Juan González1998baseballMLB (AL)
Ebbie Goodfellow1940ice hockeyNHL
Joe Gordon1942baseballMLB (AL)
Hank Greenberg1935baseballMLB (AL)
Hank Greenberg1940baseballMLB (AL)
Wayne Gretzky1980ice hockeyNHL
Wayne Gretzky1981ice hockeyNHL
Wayne Gretzky1982ice hockeyNHL
Wayne Gretzky1983ice hockeyNHL
Wayne Gretzky1984ice hockeyNHL
Wayne Gretzky1985ice hockeyNHL
Wayne Gretzky1986ice hockeyNHL
Wayne Gretzky1987ice hockeyNHL
Wayne Gretzky1989ice hockeyNHL
Ken Griffey Jr.1997baseballMLB (AL)
Dick Groat1960baseballMLB (NL)
Robert Moses "Lefty" Grove1931baseballMLB (AL)
Vladimir Guerrero2004baseballMLB (AL)
Taylor Hall2018ice hockeyNHL
Josh Hamilton2010baseballMLB (AL)
James Harden2018basketballNBA
Bryce Harper2015baseballMLB (NL)
Bryce Harper2021baseballMLB (NL)
Gabby Hartnett1935baseballMLB (NL)
Dominik Hašek1997ice hockeyNHL
Dominik Hašek1998ice hockeyNHL
Rickey Henderson1990baseballMLB (AL)
Keith Hernandez1979baseballMLB (NL)
Willie Hernández1984baseballMLB (AL)
Rogers Hornsby1925baseballMLB (NL)
Rogers Hornsby1929baseballMLB (NL)
Paul Hornung1961footballNFL
Elston Howard1963baseballMLB (AL)
Ryan Howard2006baseballMLB (NL)
Gordie Howe1952ice hockeyNHL
Gordie Howe1953ice hockeyNHL
Gordie Howe1957ice hockeyNHL
Gordie Howe1958ice hockeyNHL
Gordie Howe1960ice hockeyNHL
Gordie Howe1963ice hockeyNHL
Carl Hubbell1933baseballMLB (NL)
Carl Hubbell1936baseballMLB (NL)
Bobby Hull1965ice hockeyNHL
Bobby Hull1966ice hockeyNHL
Brett Hull1991ice hockeyNHL
Allen Iverson2001basketballNBA
Lamar Jackson2019footballNFL
Reggie Jackson1973baseballMLB (AL)
Jaromír Jágr1999ice hockeyNHL
LeBron James2009basketballNBA
LeBron James2010basketballNBA
LeBron James2012basketballNBA
LeBron James2013basketballNBA
Jackie Jensen1958baseballMLB (AL)
Earvin "Magic" Johnson1987basketballNBA
Earvin "Magic" Johnson1989basketballNBA
Earvin "Magic" Johnson1990basketballNBA
Walter Johnson1924baseballMLB (AL)
Nikola Jokić2021basketballNBA
Nikola Jokić2022basketballNBA
Aurèle Joliat1934ice hockeyNHL
Bert Jones1976footballNFL
Chipper Jones1999baseballMLB (NL)
Michael Jordan1988basketballNBA
Michael Jordan1991basketballNBA
Michael Jordan1992basketballNBA
Michael Jordan1996basketballNBA
Michael Jordan1998basketballNBA
Aaron Judge2022baseballMLB (AL)
Patrick Kane2016ice hockeyNHL
Ted Kennedy1955ice hockeyNHL
Jeff Kent2000baseballMLB (NL)
Clayton Kershaw2014baseballMLB (NL)
Harmon Killebrew1969baseballMLB (AL)
Chuck Klein1932baseballMLB (NL)
Jim Konstanty1950baseballMLB (NL)
Sandy Koufax1963baseballMLB (NL)
Nikita Kucherov2019ice hockeyNHL
Elmer Lach1945ice hockeyNHL
Guy Lafleur1977ice hockeyNHL
Guy Lafleur1978ice hockeyNHL
Barry Larkin1995baseballMLB (NL)
Mario Lemieux1988ice hockeyNHL
Mario Lemieux1993ice hockeyNHL
Mario Lemieux1996ice hockeyNHL
Eric Lindros1995ice hockeyNHL
Ernie Lombardi1938baseballMLB (NL)
Fred Lynn1975baseballMLB (AL)
Patrick Mahomes2018footballNFL
Patrick Mahomes2022footballNFL
Evgeni Malkin2012ice hockeyNHL
Karl Malone1997basketballNBA
Karl Malone1999basketballNBA
Moses Malone1979basketballNBA
Moses Malone1982basketballNBA
Moses Malone1983basketballNBA
Peyton Manning2003footballNFL
Peyton Manning2004footballNFL
Peyton Manning2008footballNFL
Peyton Manning2009footballNFL
Peyton Manning2013footballNFL
Mickey Mantle1956baseballMLB (AL)
Mickey Mantle1957baseballMLB (AL)
Mickey Mantle1962baseballMLB (AL)
Dan Marino1984footballNFL
Marty Marion1944baseballMLB (NL)
Roger Maris1960baseballMLB (AL)
Roger Maris1961baseballMLB (AL)
Auston Matthews2022ice hockeyNHL
Don Mattingly1985baseballMLB (AL)
Joe Mauer2009baseballMLB (AL)
Willie Mays1954baseballMLB (NL)
Willie Mays1965baseballMLB (NL)
Bob McAdoo1975basketballNBA
Frank McCormick1940baseballMLB (NL)
Willie McCovey1969baseballMLB (NL)
Andrew McCutchen2013baseballMLB (NL)
Connor McDavid2017ice hockeyNHL
Connor McDavid2021ice hockeyNHL
Connor McDavid2023ice hockeyNHL
Willie McGee1985baseballMLB (NL)
Denny McLain1968baseballMLB (AL)
Steve McNair2003footballNFL
Joe Medwick1937baseballMLB (NL)
Mark Messier1990ice hockeyNHL
Mark Messier1992ice hockeyNHL
Stan Mikita1967ice hockeyNHL(Guoth)
Stan Mikita1968ice hockeyNHL(Guoth)
Kevin Mitchell1989baseballMLB (NL)
Joe Montana1989footballNFL
Joe Montana1990footballNFL
Howie Morenz1928ice hockeyNHL
Howie Morenz1931ice hockeyNHL
Howie Morenz1932ice hockeyNHL
Joe Morgan1975baseballMLB (NL)
Joe Morgan1976baseballMLB (NL)
Justin Morneau2006baseballMLB (AL)
Earl Morrall1968footballNFL
Mark Moseley1982footballNFL
Thurman Munson1976baseballMLB (AL)
Dale Murphy1982baseballMLB (NL)
Dale Murphy1983baseballMLB (NL)
Stan Musial1943baseballMLB (NL)
Stan Musial1946baseballMLB (NL)
Stan Musial1948baseballMLB (NL)
Steve Nash2005basketballNBA
Steve Nash2006basketballNBA
Don Newcombe1956baseballMLB (NL)
Hal Newhouser1944baseballMLB (AL)
Hal Newhouser1945baseballMLB (AL)
Cam Newton2015footballNFL
Frank Nighbor1924ice hockeyNHL
Dirk Nowitzki2007basketballNBA
Herbert "Buddy" O'Connor1948ice hockeyNHL
Bob O'Farrell1926baseballMLB (NL)
Shohei Ohtani2021baseballMLB (AL)
Hakeem Olajuwon1994basketballNBA
Shaquille O'Neal2000basketballNBA
Bobby Orr1970ice hockeyNHL
Bobby Orr1971ice hockeyNHL
Bobby Orr1972ice hockeyNHL
Alexander Ovechkin2008ice hockeyNHL
Alexander Ovechkin2009ice hockeyNHL
Alexander Ovechkin2013ice hockeyNHL
Alan Page1971footballNFL
Dave Parker1978baseballMLB (NL)
Walter Payton1977footballNFL
Roger Peckinpaugh1925baseballMLB (AL)
Dustin Pedroia2008baseballMLB (AL)
Terry Pendleton1991baseballMLB (NL)
Corey Perry2011ice hockeyNHL
Adrian Peterson2012footballNFL
Bob Pettit1956basketballNBA
Bob Pettit1959basketballNBA
Jacques Plante1962ice hockeyNHL
Buster Posey2012baseballMLB (NL)
Boog Powell1970baseballMLB (AL)
Walter "Babe" Pratt1944ice hockeyNHL
Carey Price2015ice hockeyNHL
Chris Pronger2000ice hockeyNHL
Albert Pujols2005baseballMLB (NL)
Albert Pujols2008baseballMLB (NL)
Albert Pujols2009baseballMLB (NL)
Chuck Rayner1950ice hockeyNHL
Willis Reed1970basketballNBA
Jim Rice1978baseballMLB (AL)
Maurice "Rocket" Richard1947ice hockeyNHL
Cal Ripken Jr.1983baseballMLB (AL)
Cal Ripken Jr.1991baseballMLB (AL)
Phil Rizzuto1950baseballMLB (AL)
Oscar Robertson1964basketballNBA
Brooks Robinson1964baseballMLB (AL)
David Robinson1995basketballNBA
Frank Robinson1961baseballMLB (NL)
Frank Robinson1966baseballMLB (AL)
Jackie Robinson1949baseballMLB (NL)
Aaron Rodgers2011footballNFL
Aaron Rodgers2014footballNFL
Aaron Rodgers2020footballNFL
Aaron Rodgers2021footballNFL
Alex Rodriguez2003baseballMLB (AL)
Alex Rodriguez2005baseballMLB (AL)
Alex Rodriguez2007baseballMLB (AL)
Iván Rodríguez1999baseballMLB (AL)
Al Rollins1954ice hockeyNHL
Jimmy Rollins2007baseballMLB (NL)
Derrick Rose2011basketballNBA
Pete Rose1973baseballMLB (NL)
Al Rosen1953baseballMLB (AL)
Bill Russell1958basketballNBA
Bill Russell1961basketballNBA
Bill Russell1962basketballNBA
Bill Russell1963basketballNBA
Bill Russell1965basketballNBA
George Herman "Babe" Ruth1923baseballMLB (AL)
Matt Ryan2016footballNFL
Joe Sakic2001ice hockeyNHL
Ryne Sandberg1984baseballMLB (NL)
Barry Sanders1997footballNFL
Hank Sauer1952baseballMLB (NL)
Mike Schmidt1980baseballMLB (NL)
Mike Schmidt1981baseballMLB (NL)
Mike Schmidt1986baseballMLB (NL)
Milt Schmidt1951ice hockeyNHL
Henrik Sedin2010ice hockeyNHL
Bobby Shantz1952baseballMLB (AL)
Eddie Shore1933ice hockeyNHL
Eddie Shore1935ice hockeyNHL
Eddie Shore1936ice hockeyNHL
Eddie Shore1938ice hockeyNHL
Albert "Babe" Siebert1937ice hockeyNHL
O. J. Simpson1973footballNFL
Brian Sipe1980footballNFL
George Sisler1922baseballMLB (AL)
Emmitt Smith1993footballNFL
Sammy Sosa1998baseballMLB (NL)
Ken Stabler1974footballNFL
Giancarlo Stanton2017baseballMLB (NL)
Willie Stargell1979baseballMLB (NL)
Bart Starr1966footballNFL
Nels Stewart1926ice hockeyNHL
Nels Stewart1930ice hockeyNHL
Martin St. Louis2004ice hockeyNHL
Ichiro Suzuki2001baseballMLB (AL)
Fran Tarkenton1975footballNFL
Jim Taylor1962footballNFL
Lawrence Taylor1986footballNFL
Miguel Tejada2002baseballMLB (AL)
Joe Theismann1983footballNFL
José Théodore2002ice hockeyNHL
Frank Thomas1993baseballMLB (AL)
Frank Thomas1994baseballMLB (AL)
Thurman Thomas1991footballNFL
Joe Thornton2006ice hockeyNHL
Y. A. Tittle1963footballNFL
LaDainian Tomlinson2006footballNFL
Joe Torre1971baseballMLB (NL)
Bryan Trottier1979ice hockeyNHL
Mike Trout2014baseballMLB (AL)
Mike Trout2016baseballMLB (AL)
Mike Trout2019baseballMLB (AL)
Johnny Unitas1964footballNFL
Johnny Unitas1967footballNFL
Wes Unseld1969basketballNBA
Charles Arthur "Dazzy" Vance1924baseballMLB (NL)
Mo Vaughn1995baseballMLB (AL)
Justin Verlander2011baseballMLB (AL)
Zoilo Versalles1965baseballMLB (AL)
Joey Votto2010baseballMLB (NL)
Larry Walker1997baseballMLB (NL)
Bucky Walters1939baseballMLB (NL)
Bill Walton1978basketballNBA
Paul Waner1927baseballMLB (NL)
Kurt Warner1999footballNFL
Kurt Warner2001footballNFL
Russell Westbrook2017basketballNBA
Ted Williams1946baseballMLB (AL)
Ted Williams1949baseballMLB (AL)
Maury Wills1962baseballMLB (NL)
Roy Worters1929ice hockeyNHL
Carl Yastrzemski1967baseballMLB (AL)
Christian Yelich2018baseballMLB (NL)
Steve Young1992footballNFL
Steve Young1994footballNFL
Robin Yount1982baseballMLB (AL)
Robin Yount1989baseballMLB (AL)