We have seen greatness on the basketball court for as long as we can remember. Every era has had some amazing players dominate the game, which is the case today. Individual accolades and team accolades often dictate a player’s success in the league, and it gives the fans unlimited talking points when comparing careers. But there are only a handful of players that have managed to capture the most amazing achievements. The most valuable playoff achievements have to be the NBA title and Finals MVP, along with regular-season awards in the MVP award and scoring title.
Capturing an NBA title is the epitome of success in the NBA, as there is only one team out of 30 that ends up as champions every year. Capturing an NBA title as a player is extremely hard because many factors have to go into play during a season, and winning the Finals MVP might even be rarer, as being the best player on a title team is incredible. At the same time, winning the MVP award alone is difficult because it means that a player was above the rest in terms of impact and individual dominance during the 82-game season. What about the scoring title? Leading the league in PPG during an 82-game season requires a player to be mentally and physically ready to handle a large scoring load.
The eternal goal for every NBA player is to win an NBA championship, and very few players have ever won the title and MVP in the same season. Of course, a player competing in the NBA Finals is looking to win the Finals MVP award, and any superstar wants the MVP and scoring title on his resume. Interestingly enough, only three players in NBA history have managed to capture the MVP, NBA championship, Finals MVP, and scoring title in the same season.
It is time to discover the only players in NBA history that have won all four awards in the same season. This can be called a trifecta season because the three most important accolades won by players are historical and extremely important for a player’s career. We have already seen that only ten players have managed to win an NBA championship, Finals MVP, and MVP award in the same season. This number drops down to only three when a scoring title is involved, and it is time to honor these three superstar players who achieved it.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Credit: Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Season: 1970-71
Regular Season Stats: 31.7 PPG, 16.0 RPG, 3.3 APG
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is widely considered the most accomplished center of all time. The superstar center won the 1971 regular-season MVP award as a member of the Milwaukee Bucks as he posted 31.7 PPG, 16.0 RPG, and 3.3 APG on 57.7% FG in the regular season, winning the MVP award over Jerry West. Out of all his six NBA championships won in his career, Kareem only managed to win the MVP award to go along with a title and Finals MVP once in his career, and that came in his second NBA season in 1971. Of course, the center led the NBA in scoring at 31.7 PPG ahead of John Havlicek (28.9 PPG).
Kareem won his only two scoring titles in 1971 and 1972, and the former came when he was the best player in the world during the regular season and postseason. In the 1971 Finals, the Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Baltimore Bullets in four games. The undisputed best player in the series was Kareem, who averaged 27.0 PPG, 18.5 RPG, and 2.8 APG in the four-game sweep to take home the Finals MVP Award. It was amazing to see how dominant Kareem was so early on, and at 23 years old, he cracked the list as the first player to capture the NBA title, Finals MVP, MVP and scoring title in the same season.
Shaquille O’Neal
Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Season: 1999-2000
Regular Season Stats: 29.7 PPG, 13.6 RPG, 3.8 APG, 0.5 SPG, 3.0 BPG
Shaquille O’Neal occupies most top-ten lists of all-time because of his incredible dominance on the court. The most dominant player in NBA history since Wilt Chamberlain, Shaquille O’Neal averaged 29.7 PPG, 13.6 RPG, 3.8 APG, and 3.0 BPG on 57.4% shooting from the field to win the 2000 scoring title ahead of Allen Iverson (28.4 PPG). Quite frankly, there was no answer for the big man down low because he was simply bigger, stronger, and more aggressive than anyone he came up against. As expected, O’Neal also won the MVP award ahead of Kevin Garnett and Alonzo Mourning.
The Lakers finished with the best record in the NBA with 67 wins, and O’Neal was the best player on the team, with Kobe Bryant right behind him. In the postseason, nobody expected any team to have a shot against the Purple and Gold. The Lakers needed six games to win the NBA title in the 2000 Finals, but the team defeated the Indiana Pacers with the center posting ridiculous numbers. The superstar center averaged 38.0 PPG, 16.7 RPG, 2.3 APG, and 2.7 BPG, easily winning the Finals MVP trophy. Not only was Shaq the best player in the regular season, but also the most dominant player in the playoffs and the Finals. Shaq was the second center to achieve the NBA title, Finals MVP, MVP, and scoring title after Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Michael Jordan
Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Seasons: 1990-91, 1991-92, 1995-96, 1997-98
Regular Season Stats:
31.5 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 5.5 APG, 2.7 SPG, 1.0 BPG (1991)
30.1 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 6.1 APG, 2.3 SPG, 0.9 BPG (1992)
30.4 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 4.3 APG, 2.2 SPG, 0.5 BPG (1996)
28.7 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 3.5 APG, 1.7 SPG, 0.5 BPG (1998)
Michael Jordan is the greatest player of all time, and this is another example of why. Jordan won 6 NBA titles, 6 Finals MVPs, and 5 MVP Awards as a member of the Chicago Bulls during the late 1980s and 1990s. What’s even more impressive is that His Airness won both MVP and Finals MVP in four different seasons, the only player in NBA history to have achieved the feat more than twice. Jordan won 10 scoring titles over his career, and it is obvious why Michael was able to accomplish the NBA title, Finals MVP, MVP, and scoring title more than one time. There simply hasn’t been a scorer as dominant as MJ. Jordan and the Chicago Bulls won their first championship in 1991 over Magic Johnson and the Lakers, the first time MJ broke through and became king of the NBA. During the 1990-91 regular season, MJ averaged 31.5 PPG, 6.0 RPG, and 5.5 APG to win the MVP award, followed by 31.2 PPG, 6.6 RPG, and 11.4 APG in the Finals for his first Finals MVP. Jordan beat out Karl Malone (29.0 PPG) to win the scoring title and surpassed Magic Johnson to win the MVP award.
The following season in 1991-92, Jordan averaged 30.1 PPG, 6.4 RPG, and 6.1 APG to win the MVP award again ahead of Clyde Drexler this time. To capture the scoring title, Michael was able to score more than Karl Malone (28.0 PPG) once again. In the NBA Finals, Jordan and the Bulls defeated the Portland Trail Blazers in the Finals for Chicago’s second-straight championship, with Jordan outplaying Clyde Drexler and posting 35.8 PPG, 4.8 RPG, and 6.5 APG in the Finals. In other words, not only did Jordan beat out Drexler to win the MVP award, but also defeated him to capture the NBA title and Finals MVP award. Michael was able to notch his second season, winning four valuable awards in the same year.
During the 1995-96 season, Jordan returned to NBA action completely following his first retirement and assumed position of the greatest player we had ever seen (and seen since). Amazingly, MJ led the Bulls to 72 games in the regular season. MJ easily earned the MVP award again by averaging 30.4 PPG, 6.6 RPG, and 4.3 APG to beat out David Robinson of the San Antonio Spurs. To capture the scoring title, MJ had a higher average than Hakeem Olajuwon (26.9 PPG). Chicago finished the record-breaking season by winning the 1996 Finals in Game 6 over Gary Payton and the Seattle SuperSonics. Jordan won his 4th title and 4th Finals MVP Award on Father’s Day, a moment where NBA fans remember Jordan crying in the locker room.
Finally, to set MJ apart from every other player once and for all, Michael Jordan’s final MVP, 6th Finals MVP, 6th NBA championship, and 10th scoring title came in the “Last Dance” 1997-98 season. The Chicago Bulls star posted 28.7 PPG, 5.8 RPG, and 3.5 APG in the regular season and 33.5 PPG, 4.0 RPG, and 2.3 APG in the Finals against the Utah Jazz. MJ captured the MVP award ahead of Karl Malone and the scoring title ahead of Shaquille O’Neal of the Los Angeles Lakers (28.3 PPG). What a way to end a career in a player’s prime, as MJ was able to wipe out all competition to snatch every valuable award. Michael Jordan is the only player to win the NBA title, Finals MVP, MVP, and scoring title more than once, and the player to have done it four times.
Source: fadeawayworld
