The National Basketball Association Most Valuable Player Award was first awarded after the 1955-56 NBA season. The NBA MVP trophy is named in honor of the late Maurice Podoloff, the first president of the NBA who served from 1946 until his retirement in 1963.

• 1955-56 - Bob Pettit, St. Louis Hawks
• 1956-57 - Bob Cousy, Boston Celtics
• 1957-58 - Bill Russell, Boston Celtics
• 1958-59 - Bob Pettit, St. Louis Hawks
• 1959-60 - Wilt Chamberlain, Philadelphia Warriors

• 1960-61 - Bill Russell, Boston Celtics
• 1961-62 - Bill Russell, Boston Celtics
• 1962-63 - Bill Russell, Boston Celtics
• 1963-64 - Oscar Robertson, Cincinnati Royals
• 1964-65 - Bill Russell, Boston Celtics
• 1965-66 - Wilt Chamberlain, Philadelphia 76ers
• 1966-67 - Wilt Chamberlain, Philadelphia 76ers
• 1967-68 - Wilt Chamberlain, Philadelphia 76ers
• 1968-69 - Wes Unseld, Baltimore Bullets
• 1969-70 - Willis Reed, New York Knicks

• 1970-71 - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Milwaukee Bucks
• 1971-72 - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Milwaukee Bucks
• 1972-73 - Dave Cowens, Boston Celtics
• 1973-74 - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Milwaukee Bucks
• 1974-75 - Bob McAdoo, Buffalo Braves
• 1975-76 - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Los Angeles Lakers
• 1976-77 - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Los Angeles Lakers
• 1977-78 - Bill Walton, Portland Trail Blazers
• 1978-79 - Moses Malone, Houston Rockets
• 1979-80 - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Los Angeles Lakers

• 1980-81 - Julius Erving, Philadelphia 76ers
• 1981-82 - Moses Malone, Houston Rockets
• 1982-83 - Moses Malone, Philadelphia 76ers
• 1983-84 - Larry Bird, Boston Celtics
• 1984-85 - Larry Bird, Boston Celtics
• 1985-86 - Larry Bird, Boston Celtics
• 1986-87 - Magic Johnson, Los Angeles Lakers
• 1987-88 - Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls
• 1988-89 - Magic Johnson, Los Angeles Lakers
• 1989-90 - Magic Johnson, Los Angeles Lakers

• 1990-91 - Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls
• 1991-92 - Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls
• 1992-93 - Charles Barkley, Phoenix Suns
• 1993-94 - Hakeem Olajuwon, Houston Rockets
• 1994-95 - David Robinson, San Antonio Spurs
• 1995-96 - Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls
• 1996-97 - Karl Malone, Utah Jazz
• 1997-98 - Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls
• 1998-99 - Karl Malone, Utah Jazz
• 1999-00 - Shaquille O'Neal, Los Angeles Lakers

• 2000-01 - Allen Iverson, Philadelphia 76ers
• 2001-02 - Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs
• 2002-03 - Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs
• 2003-04 - Kevin Garnett, Minnesota Timberwolves