Michael Jordan and Shaquille O’Neal are the only two players in NBA history to have ever won 3x Finals MVPs in a row
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The NBA is the world’s most prominent league for basketball. Only the best of the best get to play in the league. Of the ones who get to play, only a select few ever experience winning a championship.
To play in the NBA Finals and go all the way and win a ring is not an easy task. The hard work and dedication required to make a push till June are not for everyone. Even on the teams that go all the way, only one player is awarded the coveted Bill Russell Finals MVP.
There have only been 33 Finals MVPs in the 75-year history of the NBA. The biggest testament to how elusive the award is Stephen Curry. Despite having 3 Championships, Curry won his first Finals MVP just recently, as he won his 4th Championship.
Shaquille O’Neal and Michael Jordan are the only ones to win 3x consecutive Finals MVPs
The 1990s Bulls and the 00s Lakers are the last two teams to have successfully managed to win 3x Championships in a row. Michael Jordan led the Bulls to not only one, but two three-peats. The first one came between 1991-1993, getting him 3x Finals MVPs in the process. After his return from retirement, Jordan again led the Bulls to another three-peat from 1996-1998. This earned him his second set of 3x Finals MVPs.
The Los Angeles Lakers were on the rise in the late 90s, with Shaquille O’Neal dominating the league, and Kobe Bryant quickly developing into a sensational player. At the start of the new millennia, Shaq led the Lakers to a three-peat from 2000-02, earning 3x Finals MVPs for the same.
Also Read: Michael Jordan protected his ‘future’ $150 million a year by using the US Flag at the Olympics
Even though other players in the history of the NBA have more Finals MVPs, yet Shaq and MJ are the only two ones to get 3x Finals MVPs in a row.
