LeBron James never did it. Neither
did Magic Johnson or Larry Bird, or Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell. Even
Michael Jordan never did it.
But on
Tuesday, Stephen Curry did. After a record-breaking season, he became the first
player in N.B.A. history to be elected most valuable player by a unanimous
vote.
Curry
revolutionized the game this season, pouring in a record-shattering 402 3-point shots while leading the Golden
State Warriors to an all-time best 73-9 record. He heralded his selection by coming back from injury on Monday night with 40 points including 17 in overtime, in a win
against the Trailblazers.
All 131
voters chose him as the M.V.P. Kawhi Leonard of the Spurs placed second and
James of the Cavaliers placed third, based on second- and third-place votes.
In 2013, in his third season in
Miami, James led the Heat to a 66-16 record. He got 120 votes, but one voter
opted for Carmelo Anthony of the Knicks, who had led the league in scoring.
In 2000,
O’Neal’s only M.V.P. title came within a whisker of being unanimous. His Lakers
were 67-15, and he led the league in scoring. He also took the support of 120
voters, with one opting instead for Allen Iverson.
The only one of Jordan’s five M.V.P.s that was especially close
to unanimity came in 1996, when four votes went elsewhere, one each to Hakeem
Olajuwon and Karl Malone and two to Anfernee Hardaway.
Last
season, when Curry had only 286 3-pointers, he got 100 of 130 votes, with 25
seeing James Harden as more valuable, and five choosing James.
Other
sports have varied M.V.P. voting systems, some of which have changed over time,
so direct comparisons are a little unfair. Still, 17 baseball players have won
unanimous selection, including Bryce Harper last season. Tom Brady was a unanimous
pick for The Associated Press’s N.F.L. M.V.P. in 2010.
In 1982,
Wayne Gretzky became the N.H.L.’s only unanimous M.V.P., getting all 63 votes.
It’s a tougher task now, as more than 150 voters currently cast ballots.
No one has ever unanimously
won a Heisman Trophy, which has a large number of voters. In 2014, the highly
lauded Marcus Mariota received 788 first-place votes, but wide receiver Amari
Cooper of Alabama received 49 and running back Melvin Gordon of Wisconsin 37.
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