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No matter what the era, the NBA is always loaded with talented superstars worthy of individual accolades. Indeed, one of the favorite exercises of fans is to go back and look at who won which awards, and discuss ad nauseam guys who were snubbed and those who perhaps won awards they did not deserve.
It seems like this ritual is performed every year with the MVP award. For every Michael Jordan and LeBron James who wins MVP year after year, there’s a guy like Jerry West or Chris Paul who finds himself overshadowed and falling just short time and again. These guys who miss out are often Hall of Famers with double-digit All-Star and All-NBA appearances to their names, and yet they can’t get over that one final hurdle.
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with their games; their lack of an MVP trophy can often be more a product of circumstances more so than anything else. However, there’s no denying that failing to win an MVP can leave a (very, very, very small) stain on the career of an otherwise transcendent player. Here’s a ranking of the Greatest Players Never to Win an NBA MVP.
20. Kevin McHale
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19. Dolph Schayes
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18. Dwyane Wade
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17. Scottie Pippen
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16. Paul Arizin
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15. Patrick Ewing
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14. Chris Paul
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13. Gary Payton
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12. Dominique Wilkins
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11. Clyde Drexler
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10. Jason Kidd
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9. John Havlicek
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8. George Gervin
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7. Elvin Hayes
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6. Rick Barry
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5. John Stockton
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4. George Mikan
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3. Isiah Thomas
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2. Elgin Baylor
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1. Jerry West
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