The Brooklyn Nets are one of just eight NBA teams never to have a player win the Most Valuable Player award. The franchise has seen several players come agonizingly close to claiming the league's top individual honor.
Jason Kidd finished second in MVP voting during the 2001-02 season. He transformed the New Jersey Nets from a 26-win team into a 52-win contender in his first year. Kidd didn't have a true superstar alongside him, yet he propelled the Nets to the NBA Finals that season and again the following year. Many felt Tim Duncan's win robbed Kidd of a deserved award.
Vince Carter was in the conversation during the 2004-05 season. He was arguably the league's best player after his mid-season arrival in New Jersey. Carter's play lifted the Nets to a 42-40 record and a playoff berth after they were more than 10 games under .500. His controversial exit from Toronto likely cost him serious MVP consideration, though he still received votes.
James Harden adapted his game perfectly alongside Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in the 2020-21 season. He became a hyper-efficient scorer and the team's primary playmaker. Harden's points per game dropped, but his overall impact soared. A hamstring injury derailed his campaign and possibly his best shot at the MVP award with the Nets.
Kyrie Irving was electric that same season, averaging over 25 points per game on elite 50/40/90 shooting splits. His handles and finishing broke the internet nightly. However, an unannounced absence from the team mid-season took him out of the serious award discussion despite his phenomenal individual play.
The team's search for its first MVP continues amid a challenging period.
Fans can track the team's progress and upcoming schedule on our schedule page. The history of near-misses shows the caliber of talent that has worn the Nets uniform. From Kidd's transformational leadership to Harden's brief peak in Brooklyn, the MVP award has been within reach. The franchise's ultimate goal remains building a roster capable of ending that drought for good.
