Ranking Every NBA Finals MVP

From Jerry West making history in 1969 to MJ's dominance in the '90s.

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Complex Original

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With the 2013 NBA Finals underway, we’ve already seen several of the series’ stars assert themselves as difference-makers in this evenly contested matchup. In Game 1 alone, we saw former Finals MVPs Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, LeBron James, and Dwyane Wade all show why each has won the award in the last decade.

Beginning with Jerry West in 1969, the Finals MVP award has almost always gone to someone whose name is synonymous with success. Of the 28 different players to win the award, only three (Jo Jo White, Cedric Maxwell, and possibly Chauncey Billups) are not or will not be elected to the Hall of Fame. It is a mark of both individual and team greatness, since only once in history has the award gone to someone from the losing team.

However, like with the regular season MVP award, not all Finals MVP campaigns are created equal. Some players put up better numbers than others and their contributions have meant more to their teams. While we can agree that all these efforts were great and deserving of the honors they received, we Rank Every NBA Finals MVP.

44. Wes Unseld (1978)

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43. Willis Reed (1973)

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42. Cedric Maxwell (1981)

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41. Chauncey Billups (2004)

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40. Magic Johnson (1982)

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39. James Worthy (1988)

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38. Jo Jo White (1976)

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37. Tony Parker (2007)

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36. Kobe Bryant (2010)

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35. Paul Pierce (2008)

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34. Dirk Nowitzki (2011)

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33. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1985)

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32. Tim Duncan (2005)

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31. Bill Walton (1977)

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30. Isiah Thomas (1990)

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29. Dennis Johnson (1979)

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28. Michael Jordan (1996)

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27. John Havlicek (1974)

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26. Larry Bird (1984)

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25. Joe Dumars (1989)

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24. Hakeem Olajuwon (1994)

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23. Michael Jordan (1991)

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22. Tim Duncan (1999)

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21. Shaquille O'Neal (2002)

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20. Kobe Bryant (2009)

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19. Michael Jordan (1992)

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18. Tim Duncan (2003)

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17. Rick Barry (1975)

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16. LeBron James (2012)

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15. Magic Johnson (1987)

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14. Hakeem Olajuwon (1995)

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13. Michael Jordan (1998)

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12. Shaquille O'Neal (2001)

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11. Willis Reed (1970)

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10. Michael Jordan (1997)

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9. Wilt Chamberlain (1972)

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8. Larry Bird (1986)

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7. Moses Malone (1983)

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6. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1971)

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5. Dwyane Wade (2006)

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4. Magic Johnson (1980)

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3. Shaquille O'Neal (2000)

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2. Michael Jordan (1993)

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1. Jerry West (1969)

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