Nikola Jokic Aims for Rare MVP Three Peat: Who Else Has Accomplished That Historic Feat?

• Nikola Jokic is aiming to become the fourth player in NBA history to win three straight MVPs
• Legendary big men Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain won three MVPs in a row back in the 60s
• Boston Celtics legend Larry Bird joined the Hall of Fame centers with his three-peat in the 1980s

Nikola Jokic is one of the best players in NBA history.

He has already won the MVP in the past two seasons and is looking to win the award for a third consecutive time this campaign.

The Denver Nuggets center has a great chance of achieving that difficult feat, with Jokic averaging a triple-double this season.

As Jokic aims for the historic MVP three-peat, Sports Brief looks at the NBA legends who have accomplished this gargantuan achievement.

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Bill Russell (1961-63)

Russell was the first NBA player to win three straight MVP awards. His streak of individual accolades came in the middle of the Celtics’ unprecedented run of eight consecutive NBA titles and 11 championships over a 13-season span.

While he did not put up the monster offensive numbers of other MVP candidates during that time, such as Wilt Chamberlain, his defensive prowess and Boston’s overall success pushed him to earn his three consecutive MVPs.

During Russell’s historic MVP three-peat, the Celtics finished first in the regular season in each campaign, posting a combined 175-64 slate, per NBA.com. Russell bested Chamberlain 86-57 in 143 career head-to-head matchups in the regular season and playoffs combined.

Wilt Chamberlain (1966-68)

Like Russell’s MVP run earlier in the decade, Wilt’s MVP trifecta was accompanied by team success. The Philadelphia 76ers finished with the best record in the NBA in each of Chamberlain’s MVP seasons.

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Over that three-season period, Philadelphia posted a combined 185-58 record. The 1966-67 Sixers team finished 68-13 which, at the time, was the best NBA single-season record ever.

Chamberlain won his seventh consecutive scoring title during his first MVP season. He then posted absurd numbers during his second MVP campaign, averaging 24.1 points, 24.2 rebounds, and 7.8 assists per game. He also led the league in shooting that year with a high 68.3% clip.

Chamberlain maintained that level of excellence during his third MVP season, averaging 24.3 points and 23.8 rebounds per outing. He also led the league in assists during that campaign.

Larry Bird (1984-86)

Bird joined Russell and Chamberlain on this exclusive list during the 1980s when the Celtics were in their dominant run. What made Bird’s MVP three-peat more impressive than Russell and Chamberlain’s was that he pulled it off in a much bigger league.

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Only eight teams were in the NBA when Russell won his first MVP. When Chamberlain won his final MVP in 1968, there were 12 teams in the NBA. The league grew in size years later, with Bird having to contend with 22 other teams during his MVP years.

Team success is crucial to winning the MVP and the Celtics did just that for Bird. They posted an incredible 192-54 record during Larry Legend’s three-peat.

In his first MVP season, Bird averaged 24.2 points, 10.1 rebounds, 6.6 assists, and 1.8 steals per game. He stepped it up a notch the following season, averaging 28.7 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 6.6 assists per game.

He shot the lights out during his second MVP season, posting a 52.2% clip from the field. Bird knocked down 42.7% of his 3-point attempts and 88.2% of his free throws.

Bird then exploded in his final MVP season, playing all 82 games and ranking in the top 10 in free throw percentage (first), 3-point percentage (fourth), points (fourth), rebounds (seventh), and steals (eighth).

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Jokic targets MVP 3-peat

Sports Brief recently reported on the NBA's leading MVP candidates this season.

Nuggets All-Star, Jokic is the favorite to win the award for the third straight time.

He is an integral part of Denver's offense, averaging a triple-double this campaign.