The 3 Best Players in the NBA Year-by-Year

[KING JAMES1978]

The 3 Best Players in the game year-by-Year
*(ΝΒΑ/ΑΒΑ both).

1950:Mikan,Groza,Schayes
1951:Mikan,Groza,Schayes
1952:Mikan,Cousy,Arizin
1953:Mikan,MaCauley,Cousy
1954:Mikan,Schayes,Johnston
1955:Johnston,Schayes,Cousy
1956:Pettit,Johnston,Arizin
1957:Pettit,Russell,Cousy
1958:Pettit,Russell,Schayes
1959:Russell,Pettit,Baylor
1960:Chamberlain,Russell,Pettit
1961:Russell,Chamberlain,Baylor
1962:Chamberlain,Robertson,Russell
1963:Baylor,Russell,Chamberlain
1964:Chamberlain,Russell,Robertson
1965:Russell,West,Chamberlain
1966:Chamberlain,Russell,West
1967:Chamberlain,Robertson,Thurmond
1968:Chamberlain,Robertson,Havlicek
1969:West,Chamberlain,Reed
1970:Reed,West,Jabbar
1971:Jabbar,Chamberlain,West
1972:Jabbar,West,Havlicek
1973:Jabbar,Erving,Archibald
1974:Jabbar,Erving,McAdoo
1975:McAdoo,Barry,Jabbar
1976:Jabbar,Erving,McAdoo
1977:Walton,Jabbar,Erving
1978:Jabbar,Walton,Gervin
1979:Jabbar,Μ.Malone,Gervin
1980:Jabbar,Erving,Μ.Malone
1981:M.Malone,Bird,Jabbar
1982:M.Malone,Erving,Bird
1983:M.Malone,Bird,Μagic
1984:Bird,Μagic,King
1985:Bird,Μagic,Thomas
1986:Bird,Μagic,Olajuwon
1987:Bird,Μagic,Jordan
1988:Jordan,Μagic,Bird
1989:Jordan,Μagic,Olajuwon
1990:Jordan,Μagic,Barkley
1991:Jordan,Μagic,Robinson
1992:Jordan,Drexler,K.Malone
1993:Jordan,Barkley,Olajuwon
1994:Olajuwon,Robinson,Εwing
1995:Olajuwon,Shaq,Robinson
1996:Jordan,Robinson,Olajuwon
1997:Jordan,K.Malone,Shaq
1998:Jordan,K.Malone,Shaq
1999:Duncan,Shaq,K.Malone
2000:Shaq,Duncan,K.Malone
2001:Shaq,Ιverson,Duncan
2002:Shaq,Duncan,Kobe
2003:Duncan,Shaq,Garnett
2004:Garnett,Shaq,Duncan
2005:Duncan,Shaq,Nash
2006:LeBron,Kobe,Wade
2007:Κobe,Duncan,LeBron
2008:Κobe,LeBron,Garnett
2009:LeBron,Wade,Kobe
2010:LeBron,Howard,Kobe

[RunMCR]

2006: Kobe, Wade, Lebron
2009: Kobe, Wade, Lebron
2010: Lebron, Kobe, Wade

[Doctor MJ]

King, you should take a look at the Retro Player of the Year project stickied on the PC board.

[semi-sentient]

2001: Shaq, Duncan, Kobe
2010: Lebron, Wade, Kobe

[KING JAMES1978]

King, you should take a look at the Retro Player of the Year project stickied on the PC board.

Τhis (Retro Player of the Year project) will be interesting but I don't know if I'll can be in it for the long haul.
I love NBA history....

[KING JAMES1978]

2001: Shaq, Duncan, Kobe
2010: Lebron, Wade, Kobe

Do you agree with all the other?It's difficult to make that list.

[An Unbiased Fan]

I assume we're counting Regular + Post season. Right?

1950:Mikan,Groza,Schayes
1951:Mikan,Groza,Schayes
1952:Mikan,Cousy,Arizin
1953:Mikan,MaCauley,Cousy
1954:Mikan,Schayes,Johnston
1955:Johnston,Schayes,Cousy
1956:Pettit,Johnston,Arizin
1957:Pettit,Russell,Cousy
1958:Pettit,Russell,Schayes
1959:Russell,Pettit,Baylor
1960:Chamberlain,Russell,Cousy
1961:Russell,Baylor,Wilt
1962:Chamberlain,Robertson,Russell
1963:Wilt,Russell,Baylor
1964:Russell,Wilt,Oscar
1965:Russell,Wilt,West
1966:Wilt,Oscar,West
1967:Wilt,Barry,Oscar
1968:Wilt,Oscar,Baylor
1969:West,Unseld,Oscar
1970:West,Reed,KAJ
1971:Jabbar,West,Hav
1972:Jabbar,West,Frazier
1973:Jabbar,Tiny,Cowens
1974:Jabbar,McAdoo,Lainer
1975:McAdoo,Barry,Tiny
1976:Jabbar,Cowens,McAdoo
1977:Walton,Jabbar,Pistol
1978:Jabbar,Walton,Thompson
1979:Moses, KAJ,Gervin
1980:KAJ,Gervin,Dr.J
1981:Dr. J, KAJ, Dantley
1982:M.Malone,Gervin,Magic
1983:M.Malone,English,Bird
1984:Bird,Dantley,Magic
1985:Magic,Bird,Thomas
1986:Bird,Μagic,Hakeem
1987:Magic,Bird,MJ
1988:Magic,Bird,MJ
1989:Magic,MJ,Barkely
1990:Jordan,Μagic,Barkley
1991:Jordan,Μagic,Barkley
1992:Jordan,Drexler,K.Malone
1993:Jordan,Barkley,Nique
1994:Olajuwon,Robinson,Pippen
1995:Drob,Hakeem,Shaq
1996:Jordan,Robinson,Malone
1997:Jordan,K.Malone,Hill
1998:Jordan,K.Malone,Shaq
1999:Duncan,Shaq,K.Malone
2000:Shaq,Malone,KG
2001:Kobe,Shaq,Duncan
2002:Shaq,Kobe,Kidd
2003:Duncan,Kobe,KG
2004:Garnett,Kobe,Shaq
2005:Duncan,Nash,Shaq
2006:Kobe,Wade,Nash
2007:Κobe,Dirk,Duncan
2008:Κobe,Paul,Lebron
2009:Kobe,Lebron,Wade
2010:LeBron,Kobe, Dwight

[23forever]

^^MJ averaged 37 ppg in '87.....not quite sure how he's not one of the 3 best that year Skip

[Laimbeer]

Neil Johnston must be one of the more anonymous stars ever, even for being from so far back. Never really heard him mentioned.

[JordansBulls]

^^MJ averaged 37 ppg in '87.....not quite sure how he's not one of the 3 best that year Skip

Especially considering he led the league in Scoring, PER and Win Shares. He may not have been the best, but still it was between him Magic and Bird that year.

[An Unbiased Fan]

^^MJ averaged 37 ppg in '87.....not quite sure how he's not one of the 3 best that year Skip

You know what, you're right I made a typo. Meant to put Isiah in 85'(maybe him already being there confused me), not sure why I put his name in 87' because I had MJ there in the 1st draft.

[TAI8]

The 3 Best Players in the game year-by-Year
*(ΝΒΑ/ΑΒΑ both).

1950:Mikan,Groza,Schayes
1951:Mikan,Groza,Schayes
1952:Mikan,Cousy,Arizin
1953:Mikan,MaCauley,Cousy
1954:Mikan,Schayes,Johnston
1955:Johnston,Schayes,Cousy
1956:Pettit,Johnston,Arizin
1957:Pettit,Russell,Cousy
1958:Pettit,Russell,Schayes
1959:Russell,Pettit,Baylor
1960:Chamberlain,Russell,Pettit
1961:Russell,Chamberlain,Baylor
1962:Chamberlain,Robertson,Russell
1963:Baylor,Russell,Chamberlain
1964:Chamberlain,Russell,Robertson
1965:Russell,West,Chamberlain
1966:Chamberlain,Russell,West
1967:Chamberlain,Robertson,Thurmond
1968:Chamberlain,Robertson,Havlicek
1969:West,Chamberlain,Reed
1970:Reed,West,Jabbar
1971:Jabbar,Chamberlain,West
1972:Jabbar,West,Havlicek
1973:Jabbar,Erving,Archibald
1974:Jabbar,Erving,McAdoo
1975:McAdoo,Barry,Jabbar
1976:Jabbar,Erving,McAdoo
1977:Walton,Jabbar,Erving
1978:Jabbar,Walton,Gervin
1979:Jabbar,Μ.Malone,Gervin
1980:Jabbar,Erving,Μ.Malone
1981:M.Malone,Bird,Jabbar
1982:M.Malone,Erving,Bird
1983:M.Malone,Bird,Μagic
1984:Bird,Μagic,King
1985:Bird,Μagic,Thomas
1986:Bird,Μagic,Olajuwon
1987:Bird,Μagic,Jordan
1988:Jordan,Μagic,Bird
1989:Jordan,Μagic,Olajuwon
1990:Jordan,Μagic,Barkley
1991:Jordan,Μagic,Robinson
1992:Jordan,Drexler,K.Malone
1993:Jordan,Barkley,Olajuwon
1994:Olajuwon,Robinson,Εwing
1995:Olajuwon,Shaq,Robinson
1996:Jordan,Robinson,Olajuwon
1997:Jordan,K.Malone,Shaq
1998:Jordan,K.Malone,Shaq
1999:Duncan,Shaq,K.Malone
2000:Shaq,Duncan,K.Malone
2001:Shaq,Ιverson,Duncan
2002:Shaq,Duncan,Kobe
2003:Duncan,Shaq,Garnett
2004:Garnett,Shaq,Duncan
2005:Duncan,Shaq,Nash
2006:LeBron,Kobe,Wade
2007:Κobe,Duncan,LeBron
2008:Κobe,LeBron,Garnett
2009:LeBron,Wade,Kobe
2010:LeBron,Howard,Kobe

This is way off...

[Mamba Venom]

every one in the league thought the Lakers had the 2 best players from 2000 to 2002.

People forget that after they lost. A lot of guys (including Magic) thought the tandem would win 7 championships.

It was a big upset when the Spurs won in 2003.

[KING JAMES1978]

Neil Johnston must be one of the more anonymous stars ever, even for being from so far back. Never really heard him mentioned.

I thinh these player of the 50s deserve some respect..A weak Era?Probably yes but these people were the start of the NBA.

[penbeast0]

I think Unbiased's list is a little overweighted toward scorers just from first look but both Unbiased and KingJ deserve credit for putting in a lot of time and effort to pull these lists together. I'm going to wait and fight this out year by year in the upcoming POY thread rather than try to look at 60 years at a shot however.