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Hi everybody.
First of all, I am sorry if my english is not good enough because is not my everyday language.
Here we go, I was searching for some data about Mikan years and reccently I have found the existence of this award. Is an unnoficcial award (the NBA don´t recognize it) but his existence has surprised my a lot.
It´s and award given by the Metropolitan Basketball writers association.

Those are the award results:
1949-50 - George Mikan, MPL
1950-51 - George Mikan, MPL
1951-52 - Paul Arizin, PHW
1952-53 - Bob Cousy, BOS
1953-54 - Neil Johnston, PHW
1954-55 - Bob Cousy, BOS
1955-56 - Bob Pettit, STL
1956-57 - Bob Cousy, BOS
1957-58 - Dolph Schayes, SYR
1958-59 - Bob Pettit, STL
1959-60 - Wilt Chamberlain, PHW
1960-61 - Bill Russell, BOS
1961-62 - Wilt Chamberlain, PHW
1962-63 - Elgin Baylor, LAL
1963-64 - Oscar Robertson ROC
1964-65 - Bill Russell, BOS
1965-66 - Wilt Chamberlain, PHI
1966-67 - Wilt Chamberlain, PHI
1967-68 - Wilt Chamberlain, PHI
1968-69 - Willis Reed, NYK
1969-70 - Willis Reed, NYK

Those are the official awards:
1955-56 - B.Pettit, STL
1956-57 - B.Cousy, BOS
1957-58 - B.Russell, BOS
1958-59 - B.Pettit, STL
1959-60 - W.Chamberlain, PHW
1960-61 - B.Russell, BOS
1961-62 - B.Russell, BOS
1962-63 - B.Russell, BOS
1963-64 - O.Robertson, CIN
1964-65 - B.Russell, BOS
1965-66 - W.Chamberlain, PHI
1966-67 - W.Chamberlain, PHI
1967-68 - W.Chamberlain, PHI
1968-69 - W.Unseld, BAL
1969-70 - W.Reed, NYK
For the first 6 seasons there is not an official award.
Does not appear the 1948-1949 year because is still the BAA and not the NBA.
According to this, Mikan could have 3 regular season MVPs (1948-1949, 1949-1950 and 1950-1951). The year 1951-1952 in my opinion was an Arizin-Mikan deccision. It seems this association gives it to Arizin. I think it could go either way but nothing against Arizin. 1953 goes to Cousy according to this association. I would have given it to Mikan, although Schayes and Cousy are maybe the others options. Seeing Cousy made me think about how great reputation Cousy had at his time and how revolutionary was seeing at his possition, maybe because is "special" whit his handles and all aronund game between so many big guys.
On the other hand, I took a view to the 60s awards. In this case there is and official award and when comparing both it can be seeing that both are the same except for 3 years: 1957-1958, 1961-1962, 1962-1963. In these 3 years the award went to Russell but this association gives it to Schayes, Chamberlain and Baylor respectively. So according to this Chamberlain would have 5 MVP (instead of 4) and Russell only 2 (instead of 5). Baylor would have 1. Oscar still has 1. West still has 0.

So, I would have to ask everybody. Did you know about this award? how valuable do you think it can be?
On the other hand: do you agree whit it? I mean, the 3 Mikan´s MVPs are a given but the 1951-1952 and 1952-1953 are very doubtfull. And in regards to the 60s do you think is more appropiate Rusell having 2 or 5 MVP. Deserves Chamberlain his 5th MVP? Baylor deserves his MVP?
I think the 1962 is a "must give" to Chamberlain. This would solve the injustice. I am not a Russell believer and I have always thought he has 5 MVP only because of the players voting. As for the 1963, I don´t know, Russell is at his peak but Baylor too. He came from and extraordinary 1962 season where he doesn´t get the association trophy because of Chamberlain excelence, so 1963 as a reward is not out of the table. He put up 38-19 in 1962 and 35-14 in 1963.
If anybody wants to share his opinions, thanks in advance.

Interesting list. My first thought is their picks are slightly less driven by wins, and they avoided taking a side on Russell vs Wilt until the late 60s when it had to be Wilt. It seems to me Reed could have easily been both the 69 and 70 MVP since they probably went too far giving to Unseld, maybe if Knicks had a few more wins and Unseld a few less.

Mikan was on the coasting in the seasons since the 51 Finals, as you could see this in his stats. He was the POY by far in between 47/54, though.

Well it’s not a surprise that Bill Russell civil rights leader would have less of these MVP’s named after a Confederate war hero!

Who did the voting for this award?

penbeast0 wrote:Who did the voting for this award?

OP says it was the Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association.

And just for completeness (it was awarded through '75)....

'71: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
'72: Jerry West
'73: John Havlicek
'74: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
'75: Dave Cowens