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The Most Random First-Place MVP Votes in NBA History

We all know the MVP race usually comes down to a few clear contenders… but every once in a while, you get a head-scratcher. Here are a few wild ones I found while digging through Basketball Reference: 2004: Peja Stojaković received a 1st-place MVP vote over Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan, and Jermaine O’Neal. 2006: Elton Brand got a 1st-place vote over Steve Nash, LeBron James, Dirk Nowitzki, and Kobe Bryant. 2013: Carmelo Anthony took one 1st-place vote — the only non-LeBron first-place vote that year. 2021: Derrick Rose somehow got a 1st-place vote despite averaging 14/2/4. Some of these were probably sentimental choices, local media votes, or just voters making a statement — but they’re still fun to look back on. What’s the most surprising MVP vote you’ve ever seen? #NBA #MVP #BasketballHistory #NBAVotes #NBAFunFacts #Sports