NBA Trivia: Who's the Last Center to Win NBA MVP?

In dominating 2020 NBA MVP voting, Giannis Antetokounmpo successfully defended his 2019 MVP and became the 14th player with multiple MVP Awards. He also extended the MVP drought for centers.

Bill Russell was the first center to earn MVP honors, doing so with the third-ever NBA MVP in 1958. Russell won three more MVPs during a period dominated by centers; from Russell's win in 1958 through Moses Malone's third MVP win in 1983, centers were MVP in 22 of 26 seasons.

Since 1983, the race has been dominated by guards and forwards, starting with Larry Bird in 1984 and continuing with Giannis last year. 

If Nikola Jokić wins this season, he'd be the first center to win NBA MVP since...

...Shaquille O'Neal in 2000.

Shaq earned 120 of 121 first-place votes (Allen Iverson received the other) en route to earning 1,207 of a maximum 1,210 points. He was the first MVP center since Hakeem Olajuwon and David Robinson went back-to-back in 1994 and 1995.

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Photo: All-Pro Reels (Retrieved from Wikimedia Commons)