Top Three NBA All-Star MVP Performances
Today, live in Indianapolis is the 2024 NBA All-Star Game. This fun game is always high-scoring with barely any defense involved until the final minute or two of play. Many Hall of Famers have gone on to win the NBA All-Star Game MVP, putting up a stellar or ridiculous outing to help their respective conference win the game. The All-Star Game MVP Award was named the Kobe Bryant Award in February of 2020, and since then, the four all-stars who’ve won the award have honored Kobe with their outstanding stats. Many will argue on the best performance ever in the All-Star Game. We’ll take a look at possibly three of the best MVP outings during the NBA All-Star Game.
3. Anthony Davis (2017)
A couple of years ago, Anthony Davis made history by dropping 52 points in the Western Conference 192-182 win over the East. Davis’ 52 points are the most scored in an NBA All-Star Game. Along with breaking the record for most points in this fun game, the nine-time all-star grabbed ten rebounds and had two steals in the win. That was his fourth all-star appearance, and the Brow put on a show in just 32 minutes of action. While the All-Star Game is always high-scoring, for someone to drop over 50 with other phenomenal teammates by your side, that’s tough to do, and it might be a while until this record gets broken again.
2. Wilt Chamberlain (1962)
“The Big Dipper” has numerous NBA records that will never be broken, or likely never be close to touching. Quite possibly, we may never see a player like Wilt Chamberlain come into the league again. Chamberlain was always an impactful player, whether it was a simple regular season game matchup, or fighting for an NBA Championship against the loaded Boston Celtics led by Bill Russell. In his third all-star game, while representing the Philadelphia Warriors, Wilt led the Eastern Conference to a 150-130 against the West. “Wilt the Stilt” recorded 42 points while pulling down 24 rebounds. Blocks were not tracked until the 1972-1974 season, the season after Wilt retired. We can only imagine how many block shots Chamberlain had at each of his all-star appearances and during the regular or postseason.
1. Michael Jordan (1992)
The six-time NBA champion had possibly the best All-Star Game stat line out of any MVP. During a 138-133 Eastern Conference win, MJ put up 40 points to go along with eight rebounds, three assists, four steals, and four blocks. Jordan did this in front of all the Bulls fans who watched him on a nightly basis. The day before the All-Star Game, Mike battled Dominique Wilkins in a classic Slam Dunk Contest, “Air Jordan” was able to keep his natural-born killer instincts throughout All-Star Weekend. He dropped 16 of his 40 points in the final six minutes of the game and helped the East pull out the win. MJ was all over the court and showed why he was the best of his era and to many the best to ever play the game.
