NBA stars are usually dominant. As a result, it’s a no-brainer how a lot of them are easily part of the MVP conversation every year. But surprisingly, not all stars earn votes for Most Valuable Player. Here is a look at the 10 NBA Stars who never received a single MVP vote.
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Kyrie Irving
Kyrie Irving is one of the elite guards in the NBA. Widely known as Uncle Drew, Irving arguably possesses the best handles in the NBA. But more importantly, he’s capable of destroying his defenders in multiple ways.
But while Irving is a stellar one-on-one player, it’s quite a headscratcher that Irving has yet to receive a single NBA vote throughout his illustrious career. That might change if Irving can help the Dallas Mavericks get into a good playoff position following the Mavs’ trade of Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Jaylen Brown
Jaylen Brown had a remarkable season last year. After bagging the most lucrative deal in NBA history, Brown went on to silence his doubters by leading the Boston Celtics to championship banner No. 18, and Brown received the NBA Finals MVP.
But despite establishing himself as one of the best forwards in the NBA, he was never even considered to take the MVP award at any moment in his career. With teammate Jayson Tatum favored more often than not in the awards race, it remains to be seen whether Brown can elevate to MVP status during the regular season.
Trae Young
As the go-to-guy for the Atlanta Hawks, Trae Young is reliable both as a scorer and as a leader. When the Hawks traded Luka Doncic for Trae Young on draft night, eyebrows were raised given that it seemed like a curious move on the Hawks part, especially after Doncic won Rookie of the Year.
But fast-forward, Young seems to have earned his place as the face of the franchise. Young is capable of converting some of the deepest field goals in league history. Moreover, his ability to score and to facilitate at an elite level has even led the Hawks to a deep playoff run back in 2021. However, it seems that even Young gets overlooked during the MVP voting race.
Tyrese Haliburton
Tyrese Haliburton had a breakout season with the Indiana Pacers in 2023-24. In fact, he even led them to the final round of the NBA In-Season Tournament. Haliburton has emerged as the face of the Pacers thanks to his top-tier playmaking and remarkable marksmanship from downtown.
Given that Haliburton is just starting to make waves, it makes sense that he has yet to enter the MVP conversation. But nonetheless, he already has a pair of All-Star appearances and an All-NBA Team selection.
Karl-Anthony Towns
A lot of NBA fans consider Karl-Anthony Towns an elite big man. In fact, his combination of size and shooting makes him a consistent threat for opposing defenses.
Town has established himself in the NBA with three All-Star Game appearances. But despite being a star for several seasons with the Minnesota Timberwolves, he surprisingly never received a single MVP vote. With a trade to the New York Knicks, there’s a good chance Towns can change that, especially after starting in the All-Star Game.
Bradley Beal
For several seasons, Bradley Beal was a major star for the lowly Washington Wizards. With Beal as one of the major stars, it isn’t surprising that he posted mind-boggling numbers in a Wizards uniform. But while Beal was individually great, the Wizards hardly made any significant mark in the win column.
As a result, it’s easy to see why not a lot considered him as an MVP type of player. Now that Beal plays with a stacked Phoenix Suns team, he became the third option, ultimately reducing his MVP chances, especially with the team disappointing fans thus far.
Pau Gasol
Pau Gasol was a crucial piece in the Lakers’ title runs in 2009 and 2010. But despite being an important figure for the Lakers during his peak, it’s surprising that Gasol never earned a single MVP vote.
While Gasol was making a positive impact, Kobe Bryant simply ran the Lakers. On the other hand, when Gasol was the go-to-guy in Memphis, the team wasn’t exactly making significant waves to put him in the MVP conversation.
DeMarcus Cousins
In terms of modern big men, DeMarcus Cousins wowed the NBA with his ability to put the rock on the floor at the center position. Moreover, he was also a capable three-level scorer.
But while Cousins had all the tools to be an elite player in the NBA, with four All-Star Game appearances and two All-NBA Team selections, his career flamed out pretty quickly. Due to injuries and locker room issues, Cousins would never reach his full potential as he eventually found himself out of the NBA.
Al Horford
Another big man who was a star but never got MVP votes was Al Horford. It wasn’t long ago when Horford was part of the successful Hawks squad that took over the Eastern Conference back in the 2014-2015 season. Make no mistake, Horford was a major player in the Hawks’ successful run.
But while Horford was great, a lot of NBA fans won’t exactly consider him to be dominant enough to be a MVP type of player. This could be due to the fact that Horford thrives as a system type of player, as he usually does his role well whether as a post-up threat or as a stretch big man.
Rip Hamilton
The Detroit Pistons shocked the world when they dispatched the Lakers in the 2004 NBA Finals. From that Pistons squad, the leading scorer was Rip Hamilton. Hamilton was a dangerous off-ball scorer, especially at the midrange. His tireless effort to get open without the ball was his bread and butter, as he forced defenses to mark him.
But while Hamilton was a major offensive threat, the three-time All-Star was never considered in the MVP voting race. Had he played in today’s game, things might’ve been different.
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