International players to win the Kia NBA MVP Award

Since the Oklahoma City Thunder Guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander won the Kia NBA Most Valuable Player Award 2024-25, the top honor of the league was won by an international player for the seventh season in a row and a total of 13 times by eight different players.

Below you will find a list of the eight players born outside the United States to win the League MVP.

Hakeem Olajuwon (1993-94): The Houston Rockets Center from Nigeria was the first international player to win MVP honors. Olajuwon came in the United States to play College Ball in Houston, the first international player who was selected in 1984 as No. 1 in the NBA design of the Houston Rockets.

Tim Duncan (2001-02 & 2002-03): The San Antonio Spurs Center was born on the US Virgin Islands and grew up in Saint Croix before he came to the USA for college in Wake Forest. He was selected in the NBA design of San Antonio Spurs in 1997 with number 1 in the overall selection and played his entire 19-year-old career.

Steve Nash (2004-05 & 2005-06): The Phoenix Sun's Guard was born in South Africa, but grew up in Canada before he came to the USA to play in Santa Clara College Ball. Nash was selected by Phoenix No. 15 in 1996 in the NBA draft from 1996, where he played two seasons before he was traded after Dallas. After six seasons in Dallas, Nash returned to Phoenix as Free Agent, where he won his two consecutive MVPs.

Dirk Nowitzki (2006-07): The striker of Dallas Mavericks grew up in Germany, where he started his professional career before he was selected number 9 in the 1998 draft draft. Nowitzki was selected by Milwaukee Bucks and traded on the MAVS in the Draft Night. He is the first international MVP to avoid coming to the United States to play College Basketball.

Giannis Antetokounmpo (2018-19 & 2019-20): The Milwaukee Bucks striker was born by Nigerian parents in Greece and grew up. He played professionally in Greece for two years before he was selected the number 15 in the NBA design of Milwaukee in 2013, where he spent his entire NBA career.

Nikola Jokić (2020-21, 2021-22 & 2023-24): The Denver Nuggets Center was born in Serbia and grew up and began his professional career in his home country for Mega basket. It was selected by Nuggets No. 41 in 2014 and began his NBA career the following year. He is one of just two players who were selected in the second round and have ever won the honor, and the first international player to win three MVPs.

Joel Embbiid (2022-23): The Philadelphia 76ers Center was born and grew up in Cameroon and only began playing basketball at the age of 15. In a basketball camp in Cameroon, Embiid was invited to take part in the NBA basketball without borders, without limits, which led to it.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2024-25): The Oklahoma City Guard was born and grew up in Toronto, Canada, before he came to the USA for his last two years. He played at the University of Kentucky before he was moved in by Charlotte Hornet's number 11 in 2018 and was traded in the Draft Night to the La Clipplers. After his rookie season in La, Gilgeous-Alexander was traded after Oklahoma City, where he became a repeated all-star and league MVP.