Winning the MVP award in NBA is a significant achievement since it’s the most prestigious award in the sport. It symbolizes a year of relentless effort in leading teams to victory against all odds.
While many basketball starts have showcased impressive skills over the years, fewer prodigies had skills that are on par with seasoned veterans, rising to greatness at a remarkably young age. Below, we’ve compiled a list of the 10 youngest NBA players to win the MVP award.
#10. LeBron James: 24 years old
With the Cleveland Cavaliers, LeBron James took the responsibility of leading the team while showcasing his attacking prowess and leading the team in scoring, assisting, stealing and blocking at his early twenties.
In the 2008-09 season, LeBron played a total of 76 games and averaged 28.4 points, 7.2 assists, and 7.6 rebounds per contest. His ability and skills were recognized for his regular season performances as King James was named MVP at the age of 24 that season.
Although the King has a big bag of skills, his road to an NBA title was long and enduring, and he changed a few teams before winning one. LeBron James’ incredible rise from a bright young star to one of the greatest small forwards in league history has made him a front row contender for the NBA GOAT title.
#9. Moses Malone: 24 years old
Moses Malone is one of basketball’s greatest players without any doubt. He was a powerful force in the NBA and the American Basketball Association (ABA), where his great scoring ability made him famous. He won three Most Valuable Player titles during his career.
In the 1978-79 season, Malone was named the MVP only at the age of 24, where he averaged a league-best 25.8 points per game and led the league with 17.6 rebounds per contest.
Over the course of his career, he helped his teams reach heights that would not have been possible without his obvious presence on the floor. Moses Malone has left an unforgettable impression on the history of basketball as a scoring machine and rebounding powerhouse.
#8. Dave Cowens: 24 years old
Dave Cowens had a slow start to his NBA career as his performance was subpar in the beginning. He reached his potential during his fourth year in the league.
In the 1972-73 season, Cowens had played 82 games with averages of 20.5 points and 16.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists. He won both the regular season MVP and the All-Star Game MVP for his outstanding performance.
However, Dave Cowens was not able to regain his former level of playing as his skills declined later on. Despite his early success, his career in NBA was not great as he struggled in the coming years.
#7. Lew Alcindor ( Kareem Abdul-Jabbar): 24 years old
Lew Alcindor later renamed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar played with the Bucks and led them to the NBA finals in just his second year. That incredible season was a display of Abdul-Jabbar’s dominating abilities, as he averaged a league-best 31.7 points per game and 16 rebounds each contest.
His six MVP trophies are still a record in the NBA, and his first one was for an outstanding season in 1970-71 at the age of 24.
Over the course of Abdul-Jabbar’s 20-season tenure in the NBA, which remains one of the longest careers in league history, his contributions to the game went well beyond his statistical achievements as a scorer and rebounder. His legacy and the impact he had on basketball’s development and cultural significance are still recognized and celebrated.
#6. Bill Russell: 24 years old
At the age of 24, he won his first NBA MVP award in 1958, during just his second season in the league. The legend center Bill Russell made an unforgettable impression on the NBA with his incredible passing and towering presence.
He played 69 games and averaged 16.6 points, 2.9 assists, and 22.7 rebounds per game in his MVP year. Beginning his career in 1956 and ending it with the Boston Celtics in 1969, Russell led the franchise to an unprecedented 11 NBA Championships, including eight straight wins from 1959 to 1966 for the first time.
#5. Bob Pettit: 24 years old
In his early days, Bob Pettit was one of the league’s best players because of his incredible scoring and rebounding abilities. A tribute to his extraordinary talent and effect on the game, he was named Most Valuable Player twice in 1956 and 1959.
Pettit’s 25.7 points and 16.2 rebounds per game in his second season made him a frontrunner for most valuable player and left basketball fans in amazement. He was only 24 years old at the time. His skills and ability to lead a team have included him in the list of greats.
#4. Wilt Chamberlain: 23 years old
Wilt Chamberlain achieved greatness at the very initial phase of his career. He won the MVP and Rookie of the Year title in 1959-60 at just 23 years of age. Despite his remarkable individual achievements, he faced tough competition from Bill Russell during the finals.
Chamberlain’s legacy is marked by some of the most incredible records in basketball history, notably his iconic 100-point game. His rookie and first MVP season averages of 37.6 points and 27 rebounds remain unparalleled, making him a truly extraordinary MVP recipient. Chamberlain’s impact on the game is timeless, and his records stand as a testament to his unmatched talents on the basketball court.
#3. Bob McAdoo: 23 years old
Bob McAdoo is one of the widely less-appreciated players in the NBA. However, he made an impression wherever he played, from the Buffalo Braves to the Philadelphia Sixers.
In the 1974-75 season, his astounding averages of 34.5 points, 14.1 rebounds, and 2.12 blocks per game won him the NBA MVP Award at the age of only 23. McAdoo is a legend among NBA big men because of his incredible scoring prowess and intimidating presence in the paint.
#2. Wes Unseld: 23 years old
Wes Unseld is still considered the best player in Washington Bullets/Wizards history. He and Wilt Chamberlain were the only players to ever win the Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player awards in the same season.
In the 1968-69 season, Wes Unseld averaged 13.8 points, 18.2 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game which won him the NBA MVP in his very debut season at the age of 23.
Unseld was known as the “Round Mound of Rebound” long before Charles Barkley entered the NBA, even though he was an undersized 6’7″ for a center. Unseld’s legendary status in the franchise’s annals was assured by his dominating performances and all-around prowess.
#1. Derrick Rose: 22 years old
At the very young age of 22 years, 191 days, Derrick Rose became the youngest player to win the NBA’s Most Valuable Player award. He had a remarkable average that year of 25points, 7.7 assists and 4.1 rebounds in the 2010-11 NBA season, the year he was named MVP.
It was just two seasons after being named Rookie of the Year, that he accomplished something truly incredible, evoking comparisons to a pre-Russell Westbrook in his explosiveness and unstoppable scoring ability. As one of the fastest players in NBA history, Rose astounded fans with his quickness and also earned accolades for his skills. Derrick Rose helped his teams maintain a good record in the league thanks to his explosive physicality and his scoring skills.
What are your thoughts on the youngest players who have won the NBA MVP? Share with us in the comments.
