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