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NBA: 25 players who should have won MVP in retrospect

By Hans Themistode

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - APRIL 05: NBA Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson speaks during the USBWA Oscar Robertson Trophy Player of the Year press conference prior to the 2019 NCAA men's Final Four at U.S. Bank Stadium on April 5, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Mike Lawrie/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - APRIL 05: NBA Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson speaks during the USBWA Oscar Robertson Trophy Player of the Year press conference prior to the 2019 NCAA men's Final Four at U.S. Bank Stadium on April 5, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Mike Lawrie/Getty Images) /
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Hakeem Olajuwon
Hakeem Olajuwon (Credit: Tim Defrisco/ALLSPORT) /

NBA: 25 players who should have won MVP in retrospect: 10. Hakeem Olajuwon 1992-93

The 1992-93 season isn’t talked about much in terms of MVP snubs. Most of that is due to the excellent year of Charles Barkley who racked up 25.6 points, 12.2 rebounds and 5.1 assists. Yet, most remember Barkley for falling short that year against Michael Jordan and his Chicago Bulls in six games in the NBA Finals.

The aftermath was a memorable one but in hindsight, Barkley should have never been given the award. Hakeem Olajuwon is the man who dominated the regular season more than anyone else. In a vacuum, when you juxtapose the numbers of Barkley against Olajuwon’s, it’s a no-brainer.

Olajuwon beat Barkley out in pretty much every statistical category: points – 26.1 to 25.6, rebounds – 13.0 to 12.2, blocks 4.2 to 1.0 and win shares, 15.8 to 14.4. In terms of team success, Barkley’s Phoenix Suns took home seven more total wins. Outside of that, however, the MVP award should have been given to the big man on the Houston Rockets.