NBA: Ranking every MVP winner in league history

SANTA MONICA, CA - JUNE 25: James Harden, winner of the 2017-2018 MVP award, poses with his mom Monja Willis in the backstage photo room during the 2018 NBA Awards at Barker Hangar on June 25, 2018 in Santa Monica, California. (Photo by Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images) /

9 of 36

Bob Cousy (Photo by – / AFP) (Photo by -/AFP via Getty Images) /

NBA: Ranking every MVP winner in league history: 28. Bob Cousy

Stats:

18.4 points
7.5 assists
5.2 rebounds

Accomplishments:

13 time All-Star
12 time All-NBA
8 time assists leader
6 time NBA champ
1 time MVP

Bob Cousy was fortunate enough to win an MVP award. Him taking home the award, however, had very little to do with his own play but more so what happened that season.

During the course of his early career, Cousy was a very good player. He routinely made the All-Star squad, scored roughly 20 points a night and kept the Boston Celtics relevant. However, no matter how hard he tried, Cousy never led his ball club to the finals or came even close. The career trajectory of the long-time Celtic only changed once Bill Russell came on board.

As the 1955-56 season came to a close, Cousy suffered through another year of coming up short. But, with the team officially drafting Bill Russell during the off-season, things finally changed. The Celtics took home their first title and Cousy received plenty of praise because of it. He won his first and only MVP award after averaging 20.6 points and 7.5 assists. Though his 8.8 win shares rank second to worst amongst his MVP winning peers.

In the end, Russell helped Cousy pocket six NBA titles. And while he couldn’t do it without him, Cousy’s all-time standing soared because of it.