Best NBA Players Never To Win MVP

Many of the players in this gallery never won the MVP because they played during an era in which one or two all-time greats dominated the award. Elgin Baylor (left) had his best years when Bill Russell (five MVPs) and Wilt Chamberlain (four) were vying for league supremacy. More recent stars came up short during the Magic Johnson/Larry Bird/Michael Jordan era. Note: Current players with fewer than eight years of experience were not considered for inclusion in this gallery.
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Until Baylor entered the NBA in 1958, the game was played on the hardwood. He was the first player to play the game in mid-air, hanging for as long as it took for him to get the shot he wanted. Baylor was a 6-foot-5 forward who was sleek yet muscular, quick and fast, athletic and powerful. He was a man ahead of his time, and he provided the blueprint for the fliers and gliders to come.