NBA: 25 players who should have won MVP in retrospect

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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NBA: 25 players who should have won MVP in retrospect: 5. Bob Petit 1956-57

Admittedly, it comes across as a bit of a contradiction.

For the most part, gigantic numbers are seemingly meaningless in the NBA MVP discussion if winning doesn’t immediately follow. When we look at the 1956-57 race, Bob Cousy of the Boston Celtics took home the award. His numbers were solid, although not overwhelming compared to his peers. Cousy averaged 20.6 points and 7.5 assists on only 37.8 percent from the field.

What seemingly took Cousy over the top, was the 44-28 record of the Celtics that led the Eastern Division. At the end of the year, Cousy and Celtics would, of course, take home the NBA title, something they made a pattern during the 50s and 60s.

Still, while there’s no taking away from his championship run, Cousy shouldn’t have won the MVP award. That distinction should have gone to Bob Petit. At 24 years of age, Petit put together a season consisting of 24.7 points and a monstrous 14.7 rebounds.

Here’s where things get a bit tricky. Petit and his St. Louis Hawks only compiled a record of 34-38. But, that surprisingly ranked number one in the NBA Western Division. Although winning should play a role in getting the MVP award, when most of the league is sporting losing records, the player with the best stats should be given a bit more leeway.