It’s rare, but there have been times in NBA history when a player is so good, so quickly that they receive MVP votes very early on in their careers.
Two prime examples of that took place in 2003-04, when LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony became the two youngest men ever to get MVP votes, at ages 19 and 20 apiece.
Two other superstar players to receive MVP votes early on in their careers were Hall-of-Famers Isiah Thomas and Shaquille O’Neal, who received those honors in 1981-82 and 1992-93 respectively.
The most recent player to get MVP votes at a very young age, and the player who rounds out the Top 5 of the ranking below, is Luka Doncic in 2019-20 when he finished fourth in MVP voting as a 21-year-old.
Below, check out the 50 youngest players to get MVP votes in NBA history.
(Note: All ages by the time of the official end of that season.)
LeBron James: 19 years and 182 days
Finished at No. 9 in the MVP vote in 2003-04
Carmelo Anthony: 20 years and 32 days
Finished at No. 14 in the MVP vote in 2003-04
Isiah Thomas: 21 years and 61 days
Finished at No. 17 in the MVP vote in 1981-82
Shaquille O’Neal: 21 years and 116 days
Finished at No. 7 in the MVP vote in 1992-93
Luka Doncic: 21 years and 167 days
Finished at No. 4 in the MVP vote in 2019-20
John Drew: 21 years and 273 days
Finished at No. 20 in the MVP vote in 1975-76
Kevin Durant: 21 years and 274 days
Finished at No. 2 in the MVP vote in 2009-10
Kobe Bryant: 21 years and 311 days
Finished at No. 12 in the MVP vote in 1999-00
Magic Johnson: 21 years and 321 days
Finished at No. 11 in the MVP vote in 1980-81
Antoine Walker: 21 years and 322 days
Finished at No. 12 in the MVP vote in 1997-98
Allen Iverson: 22 years and 23 days
Finished at No. 17 in the MVP vote in 1996-97
Tracy McGrady: 22 years and 37 days
Finished at No. 6 in the MVP vote in 2000-01
Tim Duncan: 22 years and 66 days
Finished at No. 5 in the MVP vote in 1997-98
Pascal Siakam: 22 years and 89 days
Finished at No. 10 in the MVP vote in 2019-20
Jason Kidd: 22 years and 99 days
Finished at No. 13 in the MVP vote in 1994-95
Moses Malone: 22 years and 99 days
Finished at No. 6 in the MVP vote in 1976-77
Blake Griffin: 22 years and 106 days
Finished at No. 10 in the MVP vote in 2010-11
Terry Cummings: 22 years and 107 days
Finished at No. 13 in the MVP vote in 1982-83
Anthony Davis: 22 years and 111 days
Finished at No. 5 in the MVP vote in 2014-15
Buck Williams: 22 years and 114 days
Finished at No. 21 in the MVP vote in 1981-82
Jayson Tatum: 22 years and 119 days
Finished at No. 12 in the MVP vote in 2019-20
Michael Jordan: 22 years and 133 days
Finished at No. 6 in the MVP vote in 1984-85
Marques Johnson: 22 years and 143 days
Finished at No. 10 in the MVP vote in 1977-78
Vince Carter: 22 years and 155 days
Finished at No. 16 in the MVP vote in 1998-99
Hakeem Olajuwon: 22 years and 160 days
Finished at No. 12 in the MVP vote in 1984-85
Dwight Howard: 22 years and 204 days
Finished at No. 5 in the MVP vote in 2007-08
Giannis Antetokounmpo: 22 years and 206 days
Finished at No. 7 in the MVP vote in 2016-17
Oscar Robertson: 22 years and 218 days
Finished at No. 5 in the MVP vote in 1960-61
Terry Dischinger: 22 years and 221 days
Finished at No. 8 in the MVP vote in 1962-63
Amare Stoudemire: 22 years and 226 days
Finished at No. 9 in the MVP vote in 2004-05
Derrick Rose: 22 years and 269 days
Finished at No. 1 in the MVP vote in 2010-11
Bob McAdoo: 22 years and 279 days
Finished at No. 2 in the MVP vote in 1973-74
Sidney Wicks: 22 years and 284 days
Finished at No. 17 in the MVP vote in 1971-72
Ja Morant: 22 years and 325 days
Finished at No. 7 in the MVP vote in 2021-22
David Thompson: 22 years and 352 days
Finished at No. 7 in the MVP vote in 1976-77
Clyde Drexler: 23 years and eight days
Finished at No. 22 in the MVP vote in 1984-85
Maurice Stokes: 23 years and 13 days
Finished at No. 7 in the MVP vote in 1955-56
Jay Vincent: 23 years and 20 days
Finished at No. 21 in the MVP vote in 1981-82
Jerry West: 23 years and 33 days
Finished at No. 12 in the MVP vote in 1960-61
Story originally appeared on HoopsHype
Source: Yahoo Sports
