Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James became the oldest player to ever receive an MVP vote following Wednesday’s award announcement.
James, 40, in his 22nd NBA season finished sixth in voting for the league’s Most Valuable Player award behind only Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jayson Tatum and Donovan Mitchell.
The forward received a total of 16 points with 13 fifth-place votes and one fourth-place vote as the Lakers finished third in the Western Conference with a 50-32 record.
James played 70 regular season games, averaging 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and 8.2 assists a game on 51% shooting from the field and 38% from outside the arc.
Full NBA MVP Voting Results 2024-25
Who is the oldest player to receive an MVP vote?
That of course belongs now to LeBron James – replacing Michael Jordan, who finished 13th in MVP voting in the 2022 season at 39-years-old with averages of 22.9 points, 5.7 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game for the Washington Wizards.
James, aged 40 years and three months old, has enjoyed the greatest longevity of any player in the sport’s history while competing at the very highest level ever since the day he was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2003.
Despite retirement seeming to edge ever closer for the four-time NBA champion, he is showing no signs of slowing down.
When was the last time LeBron James won MVP?
James hasn’t won MVP since the 2012-13 season. That was his tenth year in the league, recording averages of 26.8 points, 8.0 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game with career-bests in field-goal percentage (56.5) and three-point percentage (40.3).
The Miami Heat won 66 games and put together an incredible 27-game win streak in doing so, going on to win the championship as James was named Finals MVP for a second consecutive year.
He became the first player in league history to average 26 points, eight rebounds and six assists while shooting 55% or better from the floor,
It is widely regarded as his peak and the best campaign he ever put together. James shot better than 40% in 90 of the 99 games he played that year, never scoring less than 13.
He ranked third in the league in total points, eighth in assists, 16th in defensive rebounds, 12th in steals, fifth in field goal percentage, first in PER, first in offensive win shares and tenth in defensive. win shares.
Just a single vote kept James from becoming a unanimous MVP as one rogue ballet went with New York Knicks star Carmelo Anthony at top spot.
How many MVPs has LeBron James won?
Across his 22-year career in the league, James has won four MVP awards. He won his first in 2009, second in 2010, third in 2012 and fourth in 2013.
He and Boston Celtics legend Bill Russell are the only players in league history to have won four MVPs in the span of five years.
James needs one more to tie Russell and Jordan at five, sitting alongside Wilt Chamberlain with four.
