The Most Valuable Player (MVP) was an annual award first awarded in the 1967–68 season. Every player who has won the award has played for a team with at least 45 regular-season wins. The inaugural award winner was Hall of Famer Connie Hawkins. Hall of Famer Julius Erving won the award three times, all with the New York Nets. Mel Daniels won it twice with the Indiana Pacers. Erving and George McGinnis were joint winners in the 1974–75 season.
Two rookies won the award: Spencer Haywood in the 1969–70 season and Artis Gilmore in the 1971–72 season. All are in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.
| Season | Player | Position | Team | Playoff Finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1967–68 | Connie Hawkins* [1] | Forward/center | Pittsburgh Pipers | Won 1968 ABA Finals[2] |
| 1968–69 | Mel Daniels* [3] | Center | Indiana Pacers | Lost in ABA Finals[4] |
| 1969–70 | Spencer Haywood* [5] | Forward/center | Denver Rockets | Lost in Division finals[6] |
| 1970–71 | Mel Daniels* [3] (2) | Center | Indiana Pacers | Lost in Division finals[7] |
| 1971–72 | Artis Gilmore*[8] | Center | Kentucky Colonels | Lost in Division semifinals[9] |
| 1972–73 | Billy Cunningham* [10] | Guard/forward | Carolina Cougars | Lost in Division finals[11] |
| 1973–74 | Julius Erving*[12] | Forward | New York Nets | Won ABA Finals[13] |
| 1974–75 | Julius Erving*[12] (2) | Forward | New York Nets | Lost in Division semifinals[14] |
| 1974–75 | George McGinnis* [15] | Forward/center | Indiana Pacers | Lost in ABA Finals |
| 1975–76 | Julius Erving*[12] (3) | Forward | New York Nets | Won ABA Finals[16] |
Erving and McGinnis both won the award for the 1974–75 season.
Daniels and Erving were the only multiple time winners.
Erving is the only player to also win the NBA Most Valuable Player Award.
- ^ basketball-reference.com. "Connie Hawkins". Retrieved 2015-06-17.
- ^ Sports Reference LLC. "1968 ABA Playoff Summary". Basketball-reference.com. Retrieved 2015-06-17.
- ^ a b basketball-reference.com. "Mel Daniels". Retrieved 2015-06-17.
- ^ Sports Reference LLC. "1969 ABA Playoff Summary". Basketball-reference.com. Retrieved 2015-06-17.
- ^ basketball-reference.com. "Spencer Haywood". Retrieved 2015-06-17.
- ^ Sports Reference LLC. "1970 ABA Playoff Summary". Basketball-reference.com. Retrieved 2015-06-17.
- ^ Sports Reference LLC. "1971 ABA Playoff Summary". Basketball-reference.com. Retrieved 2015-06-17.
- ^ basketball-reference.com. "Artis Gilmore". Retrieved 2015-06-17.
- ^ Sports Reference LLC. "1972 ABA Playoff Summary". Basketball-reference.com. Retrieved 2015-06-17.
- ^ "Billy Cunningham". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved June 17, 2015.
- ^ Sports Reference LLC. "1973 ABA Playoff Summary". Basketball-reference.com. Retrieved 2015-06-17.
- ^ a b c "Julius Erving". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved June 17, 2015.
- ^ Sports Reference LLC. "1974 ABA Playoff Summary". Basketball-reference.com. Retrieved 2015-06-17.
- ^ Sports Reference LLC. "1975 ABA Playoff Summary". Basketball-reference.com. Retrieved 2015-06-17.
- ^ "George McGinnis". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved June 17, 2015.
- ^ Sports Reference LLC. "1976 ABA Playoff Summary". Basketball-reference.com. Retrieved 2015-06-17.