The ABA Playoffs Most Valuable Player Award was an annual

American Basketball Association The American Basketball Association (ABA) was a major professional basketball league that operated for nine seasons from 1967 to 1976. The upstart ABA operated in direct competition with the more established National Basketball Association thr ...

(ABA) given in the ABA Playoffs. The award was first awarded in the 1968 ABA Playoffs and was retired as part of the

ABA–NBA merger The ABA–NBA merger was a major pro sports business maneuver in 1976 when the American Basketball Association (ABA) combined with the National Basketball Association (NBA), after multiple attempts over several years. The NBA and ABA had entered ...

. In

sports Sport is a physical activity or game, often competitive and organized, that maintains or improves physical ability and skills. Sport may provide enjoyment to participants and entertainment to spectators. The number of participants in ...

, the player judged to be the most important to the team is the

most valuable player In team sports, a most valuable player (MVP) award is an honor typically bestowed upon an individual (or individuals, in the instance of a tie) whose individual performance is the greatest in an entire league, for a particular competition, or ...

(MVP). The inaugural award winner was

Pittsburgh Pipers Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. It is the second-most populous city in Pennsylvania (after Philadelphia) and the 67th-most populous city in the U.S., with a population of 302,9 ...

' player

Connie Hawkins Cornelius Lance "Connie" Hawkins (July 17, 1942 – October 6, 2017) was an American professional basketball player. A New York City playground legend, "the Hawk" was to play basketball for the Iowa Hawkeyes men's basketball, Iowa Hawkeyes but wa ...

. On all occasions, the player who won the Playoffs MVP award was from the team that won the ABA championship.

Julius Erving Julius Winfield Erving II (born February 22, 1950), commonly known by the nickname Dr. J, is an American former professional basketball player. Erving helped legitimize the American Basketball Association (ABA), and he was the best-known player ...

, who led the

New York Nets New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 ** "New" (Paul McCartney song), 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, 1995 * "New" (Daya song), 2017 * "New" (No Doubt song), 1 ...

to two ABA championships in 1974 and

1976 Events January * January 2 – The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights enters into force. * January 5 – The Pol Pot regime proclaims a new constitution for Democratic Kampuchea. * January 18 – Full diplomatic ...

, was the only player to win the award twice.

Winners

Playoffs Most Valuable Player gallery

File:Connie Hawkins ABA MVP.jpeg, Connie Hawkins (1968) File:Warren Jabali.jpg, Warren Jabali (1969) File:Roger Brown basketball.jpeg, Roger Brown (1970) File:Zelmo Beaty 1966.JPG, Zelmo Beaty (1971) File:Freddie Lewis.jpg, Freddie Lewis (1972) File:George McGinnis (ca 1972).png, George McGinnis (1973) File:Julius Erving – 76ers (1).jpeg, Julius Erving (1974) File:Artis Gilmore 1977.jpeg, Artis Gilmore (1975) File:Erving Lipofsky.jpg, Julius Erving (1976)

References

{{ABA seasons Playoffs Most Valuable Player Award Most Valuable Player Award American Basketball Association lists Awards established in 1968 1968 establishments in the United States