Shaquille O'Neal's MVP Points Per Season: The Most Dominant Player In NBA History

Shaquille O’Neal is one of the most polarizing personalities in basketball, and it has been that way since he made his debut in 1992. Coming out of LSU, it was clear that O’Neal would be a difference-maker once he got to the NBA. He was exactly that as he led a young and brand-new franchise to the NBA Finals. At his peak, he would become the most dominant force we had ever seen step foot on an NBA basketball court. He would help to deliver 3 straight championships to the City Of Los Angeles and claim 3 Finals MVP awards in the process.

So how is it that Shaq only won one MVP award in his career? He was the centerpiece of basketball’s best team for years and virtually unstoppable once he got the ball in the paint. It was an annual occurrence for him to be the league leader in field goal percentage as well. To top it off, he was one of the better interior defenders in the game as well. Shaq’s body of work from the outside looking in certainly would constitute more than one MVP award. The impact he made on every franchise he played for and the way that he made his teammates better from the way he needed to be opposed goes completely understated.

Here are Shaquille O’Neal’s MVP points from every season of his career.

1992-93 - 30 Points (MVP Race Finish: 7th)

Season Stats: 23.4 PPG, 13.9 RPG, 1.9 APG, 0.7 SPG, 3.5 BPG

The year before Shaq arrived in Orlando with the Magic, the team finished an abysmal 21-61 during the 1991-92 season. Shaq’s arrival was a breath of fresh air for the new franchise down in Orlando, and he led the team to 20 more wins than in the previous year, finishing at 41-41 on the year. O’Neal was a different beast than the one we saw later on in his career, and his full set of skills was on display for the entire world to see.

During his rookie year, Shaq became an All-Star starter becoming the first to accomplish this feat since Michael Jordan in 1984. He ran away with Rookie of the Year honors as no one else came close to bringing the house down as Shaq did. These were still the days that we saw him taking the ball coast to coast and his full athletic ability was at the forefront of it all. Shaq had put the world on notice during his rookie campaign, which was just a small taste of what was to come in his career.

1993-94 - 289 Points (MVP Race Finish: 4th)

Season Stats: 29.3 PPG, 13.2 RPG, 2.4 APG, 0.9 SPG, 2.9 BPG

With Michael Jordan out of the league, the Eastern Conference and the entire NBA were up for grabs. Brian Hill took over the coaching duties for the Orlando Magic, determined to get the most out of O’Neal and produce a championship roster. Shaq’s dominance began to take center stage as he shot a ridiculous 59.9% from the field and led the NBA in shooting percentage for the entire season. His 29.3 PPG was good for 2nd in the NBA behind David Robinson, and the Orlando Magic had arrived as serious contenders. Despite all of the success of O’Neal and the Magic, the MVP award would go to Hakeem Olajuwon, who was the best two-way center in basketball.

In November of this season against the New Jersey Nets, O’Neal had one of the greatest single-game performances of his career. He recorded his first career triple-double with a 24-point, 28-rebound, and 15-block performance. Shaq’s sophomore season led the Magic to 50 wins and their first playoff appearance in franchise history. Unfortunately for them, the Magic were swept in the first round of the playoffs by the Indiana Pacers. In his first playoff series, O’Neal averaged 20.7 PPG, 13.3 RPG, and 3.0 BPG.

1994-95 - 605 Points (MVP Race Finish: 2nd)

Season Stats: 29.3 PPG, 11.4 RPG, 2.7 APG, 0.9 SPG, 2.4 BPG

Shaq’s 3rd season was truly a breakout year for the big man. He finished runner-up in the MVP race to David Robinson, receiving almost 300 points less than him in the voting. O’Neal led the NBA in scoring with his 29.3 PPG and also led the NBA in shots made, two-point shots made, and free throws attempted. This was the first time that his foul line struggles became prevalent and could be pointed to as the only weakness in his game.

O’Neal led the Magic to a franchise-record 57 wins in 1994-95. They would get their revenge on Reggie Miller and the Pacers in the playoffs by defeating them in 7 games in the Eastern Conference Finals. Shaq and the Magic also defeated the Michael Jordan-led Bulls in the 2nd round, which was a huge upset by any standard. The Magic would make the NBA Finals on Shaq and Penny Hardaway’s backs, but Hakeem Olajuwon would not be denied and put Shaq through a blender on their way to a 4-game sweep.

1995-96 - 63 Points (MVP Race Finish: Tied 9th)

Season Stats: 26.6 PPG, 11.0 RPG, 2.9 APG, 0.6 SPG, 2.1 BPG

The 1995-96 season was a tough one for O’Neal and Orlando. Shaq would miss 28 games during the season due to injury, and even still, the team went on to win 60 games for the first time in franchise history. Despite the missed time, O’Neal was honored with an All-NBA Third Team selection and had the 2nd-best record in the Eastern Conference behind Michael Jordan and the record-setting Bulls. The season would see Michael Jordan return to the top as MVP as well.

Headed back to the playoffs, Shaq was finally healthy and ready to once again compete for an NBA championship. Orlando would reach the Eastern Conference once again but ran into the greatest team of all time when they got there. The Magic were swept by the Bulls as Chicago returned to the top of the NBA as champions after winning 72 games in the regular season. For O’Neal, this would be the last time we saw him in a Magic uniform as he joined the Lakers that offseason.

1996-97 - 7 Points (MVP Race Finish: Tied 9th)

Season Stats: 26.2 PPG, 12.5 RPG, 3.1 APG, 0.9 SPG, 2.9 BPG

There was a small grace period for Shaq as he began his career with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1996-97. Don’t get me wrong, he was still unbelievable, but he wasn’t nearly as impactful as he had been with the Magic the first 4 seasons of his career. He also missed a total of 32 games dealing with an injury that season, the most time he had missed up to that point in his career. As for the MVP award, Shaq finished behind the likes of Tim Hardaway and Gary Payton and tied with Anthony Mason in the voting. Karl Malone would be named the award-winner when the dust settled at the end of the season.

Despite the missed time from O’Neal, the Lakers were still playoff bound after winning 56 games during the regular season. The team was still a couple of seasons away from a young Kobe Bryant reaching his full potential, and outside of Shaq, the Lakers were just outmatched by the other playoff teams. The Lakers would advance to the 2nd round of the playoffs, where they were dismantled by the Utah Jazz in 5 games. O’Neal averaged 26.9 PPG and 10.2 RPG on the playoff run that ended once again at the hands of an NBA Finals-bound team.

1997-98 - 311 Points (MVP Race Finish: 4th)

Season Stats: 28.3 PPG, 11.4 RPG, 2.4 APG, 0.6 SPG, 2.4 BPG

The 1997-98 season for Shaq was one of vengeance and domination. Shaq would lead the NBA in field goal percentage with a 58.4% rate and lead the Lakers to 61 wins with a division title. He also had the highest player efficiency rating on the year, which beat out MVP winner Michael Jordan and runner-up Karl Malone. Gary Payton would once again finish ahead of Shaq in the MVP race, with O’Neal coming in 120 points behind him for 4th place.

Once again, the Lakers were headed to the playoffs but had more than a 2nd round exit on their minds this time. The Lakers made easy work of the Trail Blazers in the first round and equally easy work of the SuperSonics in the second round. They were met by the buzz saw that was the 1998 Utah Jazz, led by Karl Malone, in the Western Conference Finals. Shaq and the Lakers would be swept in the Western Conference Finals, with Shaq averaging 30.5 PPG and 10.2 RPG for the playoff run.

1998-99 - 89 Points (MVP Race Finish: 6th)

Season Stats: 26.3 PPG, 10.7 RPG, 2.3 APG, 0.7 SPG, 1.7 BPG

The 1998-99 season was when we started to see peak Shaq take his final form. Shaq would lead the NBA in field goal percentage once again, PER, eFG, field goals made, and total points. He also had the highest offensive win shares of anybody in basketball, as the Lakers won 31 games in a lockout-shortened season. O’Neal would finish 6th in MVP voting behind Jason Kidd, Allen Iverson, Tim Duncan, Alonzo Mourning, and winner Karl Malone.

This was also the season that many saw the future dynasty for the Lakers was coming. You can almost refer to this season as the calm before the storm for O’Neal and the Lakers. Kobe Bryant was on the verge of his breakout as well, and the NBA was not ready for the storm they were about to bring. This season ended in disappointment, however, as the eventual NBA champion Spurs defeated the Lakers by way of a sweep in the second round. It would be the last time in quite a while that we saw an O’Neal-led team lose a playoff series.

1999-00 Season - 1,207 Points (MVP Race Finish: 1st)

Season Stats: 29.7 PPG, 13.6 RPG, 3.8 APG, 0.5 SPG, 3.0 BPG

The 1999-00 season is the greatest season in Shaq’s entire career. The Lakers made a coaching change, bringing in Phil Jackson to be at the helm of yet another potential dynasty. O’Neal would go on to have a nearly unanimous MVP season where he led the NBA once again in PER, PPG, total points, and offensive and defensive win shares. He would be named to the All-Defensive First Team as well and take home his 2nd career scoring title. O’Neal received every first-place vote for the MVP and beat out the runner-up Kevin Garnett by 800 MVP points.

Shaq’s dominance didn’t stop in the regular season. In the playoffs, O'Neal averaged 30.7 PPG and 15.4 RPG as the Lakers steamrolled their way to the NBA Finals. In the Finals, the Lakers met the Indiana Pacers led by Reggie Miller. There is no one in the world who could have stopped Shaq in that series. He would average 38.0 PPG and 16.7 RPG as the Lakers took care of business in 6 games. O’Neal would cap off his first NBA title with the Finals MVP award to add to his trophy case.

2000-01 Season - 578 Points (MVP Race Finish: 3rd)

Season Stats: 28.7 PPG, 12.7 RPG, 3.7 APG, 0.6 SPG, 2.8 BPG

Here we are with Shaq at the peak of his NBA career and a time when he could have easily won 1 or more MVP awards. After winning his first MVP and Finals MVP awards the previous year, O’Neal kept the momentum going, headed into 200-01. He would finish 3rd in the NBA in scoring but once again had the highest PER, field goal percentage, and win shares on any player in basketball. He would finish 3rd in the MVP race behind Tim Duncan and the winner, Allen Iverson.

Did Iverson deserve the MVP? Sure he did. He led the 76ers to the best record in the East while winning the scoring title. O’Neal led his team to the same amount of wins while leading the NBA in many advanced stats that speak directly to his impact. Regardless, Shaq got the last laugh as the 2 superstars, and their teams met up in the NBA Finals. Iverson and the Sixers were able to steal one game from Los Angeles, but Shaq was too much for them to contain. Shaq would average 33.0 PPG and 15.8 RPG as the Lakers dismissed Iverson and Philadelphia in 5 games. For the second straight season, O’Neal had captured the NBA championship and the Finals MVP award.

2001-02 Season - 696 Points (MVP Race Finish: 3rd)

Season Stats: 27.2 PPG, 10.7 RPG, 3.0 APG, 0.6 SPG, 2.0 BPG

Shaquille O’Neal continued to stake his claim as the best player in the world during the 2001-02 season. For the 5th straight season, O’Neal led the NBA in field goal percentage as he continued to dominate the paint in ways we had never seen. Before the year, Shaq had surgery on his toe which reared its ugly head at points during the season. He was still able to finish 3rd in MVP voting behind Jason Kidd and the winner, Tim Duncan.

The 2002 playoffs are still talked about in a highly controversial fashion to this day. The Lakers ran into their greatest competition on their entire 3-year run in the 2002 Sacramento Kings. After falling down 3-2 in the Conference Finals to the Kings, the Lakers were the beneficiaries of some pretty controversial calls. Nevertheless, O’Neal and Kobe Bryant had the Lakers in their 3rd straight NBA Finals. The Lakers took down the Nets in a 4-game sweep as Shaq once again was named Finals MVP with 36.3 PPG and 12.3 RPG averages.

2002-03 - 126 Points (MVP Race Finish: 5th)

Season Stats: 27.5 PPG, 11.1 RPG, 3.1 APG, 0.6 SPG, 2.4 BPG

The 2002-03 season for O’Neal was one of adjustment and ego. O’Neal would battle a knee injury that cost him double-digit games, and before our very eyes, Kobe Bryant was budding into a true superstar. Bryant even finished higher than O’Neal in MVP voting at 3rd place while O’Neal battled injury and finished 5th. The Lakers even slipped to the No. 5 seed in the West as Tim Duncan once again took home the MVP award on the season.

After a season that saw the egos of Bryant and O’Neal begin to collide, they still looked to defend the 3 championships they had just won. However, the Lakers would fall short and be eliminated by the San Antonio Spurs in the 2nd round. The Spurs would go on to win the NBA title as rumors of tension, and an imminent breakup began to swirl in Los Angeles. O’Neal was still a dominant force, but his greed and envy began to become a detriment to success.

2003-04 - 178 Points (MVP Race Finish: 6th)

Season Stats: 21.5 PPG, 11.5 RPG, 2.9 APG, 0.5 SPG, 2.5 BPG

NBA fans historically look back at the 2004 Los Angeles Lakers in sheer disappointment. The team added Karl Malone and Gary Payton to the roster for the year and rightfully earned their way to an NB Finals once again. What began to shine through was O’Neal’s unwillingness to compromise both his role and his money in exchange for more championships. O’Neal’s numbers took a slight dip as he and Kobe Bryant began to battle behind the scenes. The Lakers would make a run to the NBA Finals but fall in surprisingly underdog fashion to the Detroit Pistons.

The MVP race had clearly been a race between Kevin Garnett and Duncan for the entire season. The award eventually went to Garnett as he led the Timberwolves to their best season in franchise history. O’Neal would finish outside of the Top 5 for the first time in 6 seasons as he had made it clear that he was done with the Lakers. In the end, O’Neal would be traded to Miami, Phil Jackson would walk away from coaching, and Karl Malone and Gary Payton were on their way out as well. O’Neal was not done hoisting championship trophies during his career.

2004-05 - 1,032 Points (MVP Race Finish: 2nd)

Season Stats: 22.9 PPG, 10.4 RPG, 2.7 APG, 0.5 SPG, 2.3 BPG

For the second time in his career, Shaq accumulated more than 1,000 MVP points in 2004-05. It was his first season with the Miami Heat after an ugly breakup with the Los Angeles Lakers. Once again, O’Neal found himself paired with a rising superstar at the shooting guard position, Dwyane Wade. This season is where O’Neal could have easily grabbed his 3rd or 4th MVP award, but the voters decided Steve Nash was the winner after leading the Suns to 62 wins. O’Neal was still a legitimate MVP threat as he took the Heat to 59 wins and the best record in the East.

O’Neal was the healthiest he had been since 2001. He played 73 games and was named to his 12th straight All-Star game. He was once again named to the All-NBA First Team and had the Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals. They would fall to the Pistons in 7 games, but the season was enough to keep Shaq around in South Beach for a while. He signed a contract extension in the offseason, and thank god he did because what came next was truly memorable.

2005-06 - 0 Points (MVP Race Finish: N/A)

Season Stats: 20.0 PPG, 9.2 RPG, 1.9 APG, 0.4 SPG, 1.8 BPG

O’Neal had another season of adjustment and battles in the 2005-06 campaign. He dealt with foot injuries that led him to miss 18 games. He was still an overly efficient 20.0 PPG scorer but had to learn to become a No. 2 option as the year progressed. Dwyane Wade had emerged as a budding superstar and finished 6th in MVP voting himself. The award eventually went to Steve Nash once again, but O’Neal and the Miami Heat would get the last laugh.

During his introductory press conference the offseason prior, O’Neal promised Miami fans that he would deliver them an NBA championship. He and Wade made sure to deliver on that promise in 2006. The Heat would capture their first NBA championship with a Finals MVP performance from Dwyane Wade over the Dallas Mavericks. O’Neal was a mighty contributor still, as he averaged 18.4 PPG, 9.8 RPG, and 1.5 BPG for the entirety of the playoffs. This would be the final season that we saw shades of Shaq’s peak form.

2006-07 Season - 3 Points (MVP Race Finish: Tied 12th)

Season Stats: 17.2 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 2.0 APG, 0.2 SPG, 1.4 BPG

The 2006-07 season was the beginning of the end for Shaquille O’Neal. Dirk Nowitzki ran away with the MVP award as he led the Mavs to the best record in the NBA. O’Neal struggled with knee injuries and missed a significant amount of time, and appeared in just 47 games. It marked the first time in his career that his scoring average dipped below 20.0 PPG. His rebounding and defensive numbers also dipped significantly.

The Heat limped without O’Neal manning the paint but still managed to reach the NBA playoffs. The team would be swept in the first round marking the first time in NBA history that a team that won the championship a year prior was beaten so badly in the first round. It was the first time in 13 seasons that O’Neal failed to reach the second round of the playoffs. The chatter began as to how much he actually had left to give to an already illustrious career.

2007-08 Season - 0 Points (MVP Race Finish: N/A)

Season Stats: 13.6 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 1.5 APG, 0.5 SPG, 1.4 BPG

O’Neal was at the end of his career, and it was evident by his play on the floor. He was no longer an MVP candidate, and his scoring numbers dipped below 15.0 PPG for the first time in his career. There was a clear downgrade in his role within the Miami offense as rumors again began to swirl about his and coach Pat Reilly’s relationship. After just 33 appearances with the Heat, O’Neal was traded to the Phoenix Suns.

Determined to prove Riley wrong, O’Neal started all 28 games for the Suns after his arrival. His numbers and production were still greatly diminished, as he averaged just 12.9 PPG in those 28 starts. His arrival in Phoenix was met with hope as he joined Steve Nash and Amar’e Stoudemire on a promising Suns team. This was not to come to fruition, however, as Phoenix would be dismissed in the first round by the San Antonio Spurs.

2008-09 - 0 Points (MVP Race Finish: N/A)

Season Stats: 17.8 PPG, 8.4 RPG, 1.7 APG, 0.7 SPG, 1.4 BPG

Headed into his 1st full season with the Suns, the expectations for O’Neal and his contributions were at an all-time low. O’Neal shocked everyone when he made a return to the All-Star game with a shockingly improved game to start the year. He even shared All-Star MVP honors with former teammate Kobe Bryant. In the end, he was still nowhere to be found as far as MVP votes as LeBron James ran away with the award in dominant fashion.

The critics were silenced by O’Neal’s stellar play that even saw him drop a 45-point game in the middle of it. It just went to show that even toward the end of his career, Shaq could still deliver at a high level. Miraculously, O’Neal led the NBA in field goal percentage for the 10th and final time in his career and protected the ball better than he ever had. This was O’Neal’s farewell to a league that he had dominated for so long. It wasn’t that it was his final year, but it was certainly the last one he contributed at such a high level. To make matters worse, Kobe Bryant and the Lakers took home the NBA title, which gave Shaq and Kobe the same amount of championship rings.

2009-10 - 0 Points (MVP Race Finish: N/A)

Season Stats: 12.0 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 1.5 APG, 0.3 SPG, 1.2 BPG

The 2009 offseason saw Shaquille O’Neal traded to the Cavaliers to play alongside LeBron James. O’Neal was desperately chasing his 5th ring in order to surpass Kobe Bryant. Once again, O’Neal battled injury throughout the season and was limited to just 53 games because of his thumb. At 37 years old, Shaq was finally at the end of his ropes as his production dipped across the board in a limited role.

Unfortunately for O’Neal, his adversary Kobe Bryant won both the MVP award and his 5th championship ring during the 2010 season. O’Neal was reportedly furious after this happened and tore his house to pieces in its wake. This left O’Neal with an interesting question to answer. Give it one more shot to tie Kobe or ride off into the sunset as one of the game’s greatest players, even without championship No. 5.

2010-11 - 0 Points (MVP Race Finish: N/A)

Season Stats: 9.2 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 0.7 APG, 0.4 SPG, 1.1 BPG

It was clearly the end of the line in what would be O’Neal’s final season as an NBA player. In an attempt to catch Kobe, Shaq joined the Boston Celtics for the 2010-11 season. Boston was coming off a loss to Bryant and the Lakers in the Finals, and Shaq saw an opportunity in his sights. O’Neal struggled physically, appearing in just 37 games for the entire season. He did have a slight impact when he could stay on the court, as Boston was 19-3 on the year when Shaq played over 20 minutes.

O’Neal’s health issues carried over into the playoffs as well. He was limited to just 12 minutes per night after missing the second round as Miami eliminated them from the postseason. The 2010-11 season was highlighted by Derrick Rose becoming the youngest MVP in NBA history as a new era was ushered into the NBA. As one era began, O’Neal’s era was ending as he called it quits after 19 seasons of NBA service. He retired with 4 championships, 3 Finals MVP awards, and one MVP award. Based on what you saw here today, don’t you think he deserved at least more than 1 in his lifetime?

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