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