Aaron HagerList RulesVote up the MVPs who had the most impressive seasons at a young age.
Sports may be the domain of the young, but even the best athletes still need time to mature once they turn pro. However, the youngest MVP winners in sports history all show that no matter what sport you're playing - baseball, football, basketball, or hockey - greatness can be there from the very beginning.
Wayne Greztky is the youngest MVP winner in any of the four major sports, winning his first Hart Trophy at age 19. After entering the NHL at 18, Gretzky won eight consecutive Hart Trophies, including five before the age of 25. There's a reason he's called The Great One. Meanwhile, the NBA's greatest scorer, Wilt Chamberlain, was just 23 when he won his MVP award for a season in which he averaged more than 37 points and 27 rebounds per game. Hank Aaron and Willie Mays are among the great MLB players to win early MVPs and Walter Payton and Patrick Mahomes are among the NFL stars to win MVP at a young age.
So check out this list of the best young stars in sports history, and vote up the players who had the top MVP seasons before they turned 25. Then head over and check out some of the oldest MVP winners in sports history.
1
5210Named NBA MVP at age 23 in 1959-60.
1959-60 stats: Points: 37.6, Rebounds: 27, Assists: 2.3
2
5412Named NBA MVP at age 24 in 1987-88.
1987-88 stats: Points: 35.0, Rebounds: 5.5, Assists: 5.9
3
477Named NL MVP at age 23 in 1957.
1957 stats: BA .322, HR: 44, RBI: 132
4
4711Named NHL MVP at age 19 in 1979-80.
1979-80 stats: 51 goals, 86 assists, 137 points.
5
312Named AL MVP at age 24 in 1927.
1927 stats: BA: .373, HR: 47, RBI: 173.
6
4012Named NFL MVP at age 23 in 1977.
1977 stats: Yards; 1852, Touchdowns: 14
7
3714Named NL MVP at age 23 in 1954.
1954 stats: BA: .345, HR: 41, RBI: 110
8
274Named NHL MVP at age 23 in 1951-52.
1951-52 stats: Goals: 47, Assists: 39, Points: 86
9
Named AL MVP at age 24 in 1956.
1956 stats: BA: .353, HR: 52, RBI: 13010
242Named NFL MVP at age 23 in 1984.
1984 stats: Yards: 5084, Touchdowns: 48
11
Named NHL MVP at age 22 in 1987-88
1987-88 stats: 70 goals, 98 assists, 168 points.
12
Named NBA MVP at age 23 in 1970-71.
1970-71 stats: Points: 31.7, Rebounds: 16.0, Assists: 3.3
13
225Named NBA MVP at age 23 in 1957-58.
1957-58 stats: Points: 16.6, Rebounds: 22.7, Assists: 2.9
14
2510Named NBA MVP at age 24 in 2008-09.
2008-09 stats: Points: 28.4, Rebounds: 7.6, Assists: 7.2
15
2814Named AL MVP at age 24 in 1939.
1939 stats: BA: .381, HR: 30, RBI: 126
16
3220Named AL MVP at age 22 in 2014.
2014 stats: BA: .287, HR: 36, RBI: 111
17
150Named NL MVP at age 22 in 1943.
1943 stats: BA: .357, HR: 13, RBI: 81
18
3017Named NHL MVP at age 22 in 1969-70.
1969-70 stats: 33 goals, 87 assists, 120 points.
19
2512Named NHL MVP at age 20 in 2006-07.
2006-07 stats: 36 goals, 84 assists, 120 points.
20
2717Named AL MVP at age 23 in 1983.
1983 stats: BA: .318, HR: 27, RBI: 102
21
2718Named AL MVP at age 23 in 1986.
1986 stats: W/L%: .857 HR: 21 Strikeouts: 238
22
100Named NBA MVP at 23 in 1978-79.
1978-79 stats: Points: 24.8, Rebounds: 17.6, Assists: 1.8
23
Named AL MVP at age 24 in 1935.
1935 stats: BA: .328, HR: 36, RBI: 168
24
Named AL MVP at age 23 in 1944.
1944 stats: W/L%: .763, ERA: 2.22, Strikeouts: 187
25
148Named AL MVP at age 24 in 1932.
1932 stats: BA: .364, HR: 58, RBI: 169
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25