Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

3-Time NBA Champion Questions Why LeBron James Got Zero Votes in Steph Curry’s Unanimous MVP Season

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Sami Haider | Last updated Apr 8, 2026 2:22 PM ET

Stephen Curry became the first and only unanimous MVP in NBA history after his 2015-16 season. Before him, no other player, including legends like Michael Jordan or LeBron James, had ever appeared in the No. 1 spot on every single ballot cast in a given year.

Even almost a decade later, nobody has managed to sweep every first-place vote. He literally received all 131 first-place votes after leading the Golden State Warriors to a record 73-9 season. That year, he averaged 30.1 points and set a league record with 402 three-pointers.

King James finished third in that year's MVP voting with 631 points, behind Kawhi Leonard’s 634. The four-time MVP has never won the award unanimously, and former NBA star Danny Green still can’t believe this.

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry dribbles against Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James.Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

On the “No Fouls Given” podcast, Green said, "Nobody else could have got a vote that year? A LeBron James couldn't get a vote? He deserved MVP. I'm not saying he didn't, but 98? You couldn't just give [expletive] two votes for one other person?"

Green added that he wasn't thinking about the magnitude of the award at the time, that it was the first unanimous selection in league history. He compared it to Wilt Chamberlain, noting that even Wilt, who averaged 50 points and 30 rebounds in a season, never won unanimously.

James came closest to a unanimous sweep in 2012-13, receiving 120 of 121 first-place votes. However, he has not won a regular-season MVP since. That history is exactly what the three-time NBA champion has on his mind.

Green, who retired in 2024 after winning rings with three different teams, has argued that if James wasn't unanimous in 2013, the precedent for Curry in 2016 is inconsistent.

The 38-year-old’s argument is more about the principle than the numbers. While Curry didn't lead the league in free-throw percentage that year, he did lead in scoring and steals. He was also the first player to average over 30 points while joining the 50-40-90 club. So, Curry's case for the unanimous honor was pretty strong, even if some of his peers still debate it.

James and Curry are both struggling to stay healthy at the end of their careers. James, now 41, missed the Lakers’ first 14 games of the 2025–26 season with sciatica. Since his return, he has dealt with persistent foot pain and sits out most back-to-back games.

Curry has had an even tougher year with quad, ankle, and knee injuries. He recently returned from a right knee injury that sidelined him for over two months. The Warriors went just 13-25 without him this season, with most of those losses coming during his recent 27-game absence.

While James and the Lakers have a clearer path to the postseason, the 37-42 Warriors are locked into the 10th seed. Curry will now have to win two road games in the play-in tournament just to make the playoffs.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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