The Best NBA Player ESPY Award is an award presented annually since 1993 to a National Basketball Association (NBA) player adjudged to be the best in a given year, typically the NBA season contested during or immediately before the holding of the ESPY Awards ceremony.
Between 1993 and 2004, the award voting panel comprised variously fans; sportswriters and broadcasters, sports executives, and retired sportspersons, termed collectively experts.
Through the 2001 iteration of the ESPY Awards, ceremonies were conducted in February of each year to honor achievements over the previous calendar year; awards presented thereafter are conferred in June and reflect performance from the June previous.[1] Seven players have won the award more than once; Michael Jordan won the inaugural award and a total of four across his career. LeBron James has won the award a total of seven times, the most by any player. Stephen Curry has won the award three times, while Tim Duncan, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'Neal, and Hakeem Olajuwon have claimed two each. The award wasn't awarded in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Winners
Player was a member of the winning team in the NBA Finals.
Player was a member of the losing team in the NBA Finals.
* NBA Regular Season MVP
† NBA Finals MVP
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By Player
Fourteen players have won the award.
| Winners | |
|---|---|
| LeBron James | 7 |
| Michael Jordan | 4 |
| Stephen Curry | 3 |
| Hakeem Olajuwon | 2 |
| Shaquille O'Neal | 2 |
| Tim Duncan | 2 |
| Kobe Bryant | 2 |
| Charles Barkley | 1 |
| Kevin Garnett | 1 |
| Steve Nash | 1 |
| Dwyane Wade | 1 |
| Dirk Nowitzki | 1 |
| Kevin Durant | 1 |
| Giannis Antetokounmpo | 1 |
| Nikola Jokić | 1 |
By Team
| Team | Winners |
|---|---|
| Cleveland Cavaliers | 5 |
| Chicago Bulls | 4 |
| Los Angeles Lakers | 4 |
| Miami Heat | 3 |
| San Antonio Spurs | 2 |
| Houston Rockets | 2 |
| Phoenix Suns | 2 |
| Golden State Warriors | 2 |
| Dallas Mavericks | 1 |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | 1 |
| Oklahoma City Thunder | 1 |
| Milwaukee Bucks | 1 |
| Denver Nuggets | 1 |
Notes
- ↑ Because of the rescheduling of the ESPY Awards ceremony, the award presented in 2002 was given in consideration of performance between February 2001 and June 2002.