Who Won the 1996 NBA MVP Award? The Complete Story Behind the Selection

I still remember the 1996 NBA season like it was yesterday - the energy, the rivalries, and that burning question everyone was debating: who would take home the MVP trophy? As someone who's studied basketball history for over two decades, I can tell you that season was particularly special because we witnessed one of the most dominant individual performances in modern basketball history. The answer to who won the 1996 NBA MVP might seem straightforward now, but the complete story behind that selection reveals so much about what makes an MVP truly valuable to their team.

When people ask me about Michael Jordan's 1996 MVP season, I always start by pointing out that this wasn't just about statistics - though his numbers were absolutely staggering. Jordan averaged 30.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 4.3 assists while leading the Bulls to a historic 72-10 record, which stood as the best regular season performance for two decades. What many casual fans don't realize is that Jordan had returned from his baseball hiatus just the previous season, and many critics wondered if he could ever regain his dominant form. Boy, did he prove them wrong. I've always believed that Jordan's 1996 MVP was particularly meaningful because it represented his complete evolution as a player - he was smarter, more efficient, and somehow even more competitive than during his first championship runs.

The voting itself wasn't as close as you might think, with Jordan receiving 111 out of 113 first-place votes. But here's something fascinating that often gets overlooked - the two voters who didn't pick Jordan weren't being contrarian for the sake of it. One voted for Shaquille O'Neal, who was absolutely monstrous that season with 26.6 points and 11 rebounds per game for the Orlando Magic. The other voted for Hakeem Olajuwon, whose Rockets had the third-best record in the West. While I personally believe Jordan was the clear choice, I can understand why some might have been tempted by these other phenomenal candidates.

What made Jordan's case so compelling, in my professional opinion, was how he elevated everyone around him. Looking at team dynamics reminds me of that fascinating NUNS 89 roster where scoring was distributed among multiple players - Akowe and Alfanta both putting up 18 points, Cartel contributing 13, and so on. Jordan's Bulls operated differently - he was the clear alpha, but he made players like Toni Kukoc, Steve Kerr, and Luc Longley significantly better. That's the mark of a true MVP - not just personal statistics, but the ability to raise the ceiling for your entire organization.

I've always been fascinated by how MVP voting reflects the values of different eras. In 1996, the emphasis was clearly on team success combined with individual excellence. Jordan's Bulls weren't just winning - they were rewriting the record books while playing breathtaking basketball. The defensive intensity, the offensive execution, the sheer will to win - it was all there. When I rewatch those games today, what strikes me most is Jordan's basketball IQ. He wasn't just physically dominant; he was mentally several steps ahead of everyone else on the court.

The legacy of that 1996 MVP award extends far beyond the trophy itself. It cemented Jordan's comeback story and set the stage for Chicago's second three-peat. More importantly, it established a standard for what an MVP season should look like - leading your team to historic success while maintaining individual excellence on both ends of the floor. In today's analytics-driven NBA, we sometimes get caught up in advanced metrics and efficiency ratings, but Jordan's 1996 season reminds us that sometimes the eye test and the win column tell you everything you need to know.

Reflecting on that season always brings me back to a fundamental question: what truly makes an MVP? Is it the flashy statistics, the team success, or something less quantifiable? For me, Jordan's 1996 campaign represents the perfect storm of all these elements. He had the numbers, the wins, the narrative, and that undeniable aura of greatness that separated him from his peers. While players like Karl Malone, Gary Payton, and David Robinson all had fantastic seasons that year, none could match Jordan's complete package of individual brilliance and team dominance.

As I look back now, what's most remarkable is how Jordan's 1996 MVP season has aged. It wasn't just a great individual performance - it was a landmark moment that helped globalize the NBA and set new standards for excellence. The combination of that historic 72-win season, his scoring title, and his eventual championship created what I consider the gold standard for MVP campaigns. Even today, when we debate modern MVP races, we inevitably compare candidates to what Jordan accomplished in 1996. That's the true measure of an iconic season - it becomes the benchmark against which all others are measured.