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The best NBA MVPs that hail from California

Posted on October 12, 2021 by Allen Brown

The NBA is one of the most watched sports divisions around the globe, and is the pinnacle of the basketball world. Whilst there are also some top talents and competitive leagues elsewhere in the world such as Europe, it’s the NBA that all the best players aspire to play in.

Over the years, there have been many MVPs picked for each season, and again, these players come from all across the planet. But how do some of California’s finest stack up against the rest? Well, we’re going to take a quick look at some of the best MBPs from NBA history, who all hail from the Golden State.

James Harden – Brooklyn Nets

Whilst he may ply his trade over in Brooklyn, you may not be aware that James Harden actually comes from Los Angeles, California. After playing youth level basketball in Cali, he went to college at Arizona State, where he would eventually be drafted to the Oklahoma City Thunder. After three seasons there, he then signed with the Houston Rockets, where he spent his time from 2012-2021.

But rather than extending his contract with the Rockets, he chose to move once more and signed this year with the Brooklyn Nets, in a move that would make him the 4th best paid star in the NBA. He currently earns around $43,848,000 per season, and as one of the most prolific scorers in the NBA, the Nets clearly think he’s worth the money.

Over the years, he’s managed to bag himself 1 MVP award, and also an Olympic Gold Medal with the US Men’s basketball team.

Russell Westbrook – Los Angeles Lakers

Unlike Harden, Russell Westbrook is a Californian MVP who currently plays in his home state. Born in Long Beach, California, played ball at college level for UCLA, before he too was drafted by the Oklahoma City Thunder, where he spent 11 years of his career. He then spent a couple of seasons with the Houston Rockets and Washington Wizards, before returning home to play for the Los Angeles Lakers.

In his career, he has been a popular player for people to put into their fantasy teams and to back on a sports odds app, and for good reason. With a Gold World Championship he won in Turkey, and a Gold Olympic Medal to his name, he also has two NBA All-Star Game MVP awards, and eventually went on to pick up an NBA MVP award in 2017.

Kawhi Leonard – Los Angeles Clippers

Leonard is potentially the best NBA star to have come out of California, born in Los Angeles all the way back in June 1991. And whilst he doesn’t have an NBA MVP award, he has picked up two NBA Finals MVP awards, also winning two National Championships in the process, as well as bagging himself the NBA All-Star Game MVP in 2020.

Bill Walton – Last played with Boston Celtics

This is one from the history books, as we go back all the way to the 70s and 80s. Born way back in 1952, Bill Walton was born in La Mesa, California. He stayed in California for his college days, playing for numerous years with UCLA, before eventually being drafted in 1974 by the Portland Trail Blazers.

Just five years later, Walton found himself playing for the San Diego Clippers, which would relocate to his home state in 1984, a year before he finished playing with the team, as he moved on to the Boston Celtics for a three year stint where he would retire. Throughout his career, Walton managed to win two National Championships, and his win in 1977, also bagged him the NBA Finals MVP award.

Walton, since retiring, stayed in the sport but as a sportscaster, and he even has his own radio show called One More Saturday Night.

Paul Pierce – Last played with Los Angeles Clippers

Pierce is another that hasn’t won the actual NBA MVP award, but did pick up the NBA Finals MVP in 2008 when he won the National Championship with the Boston Celtics. Born and raised in Oakland, California, he would play High School Basketball at Inglewood, before moving to Kansas where he played at College Level.

In 1998, he was then the 10th first round pick in the NBA Draft, and found himself moving once more as he headed to the Boston Celtics, where he would spend 15 years of his career. He then spent a single season at both the Brooklyn Nets and Washington Wizards toward the end of his career, before finishing up with a two year spell with the Clippers.

And there you have it, some of the best NBA MVPs throughout history, who all hailed from Sunny California. Hopefully the most recent bunch won’t be the last, and there will be plenty more talent coming out of the Golden State in years to come.

 




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