Who Was the 2016 NBA MVP? Discover the Winner and Their Historic Season

I still remember the buzz in the air during that 2016 NBA season—the electric feeling that we were witnessing something truly special unfold. As someone who’s followed basketball religiously since my teenage years, I’ve seen MVPs come and go, but few seasons have captured the imagination quite like Stephen Curry’s historic run with the Golden State Warriors. Who was the 2016 NBA MVP? The answer seems obvious now, but back then, the debate raged with an intensity that reflected just how extraordinary that year really was.

Let me take you back to that spring. The Warriors weren’t just winning—they were redefining basketball. Night after night, Curry would pull up from what we now call "logo range" and drain threes like it was a layup drill. I recall watching one game where he hit a 32-footer with such ease that the defender just shrugged, as if to say, "What can you do?" That season, Curry shattered his own record for three-pointers made, finishing with an unbelievable 402—a number that still feels like a typo when I type it out. The previous record was 286, which he’d set just the year before. To put it plainly, he didn’t just break the record; he launched it into orbit.

What made Curry’s MVP season so compelling wasn’t just the stats, though they were staggering—30.1 points per game, 50.4% from the field, 45.4% from three, and 90.8% from the free-throw line, putting him in the elusive 50-40-90 club. It was the sheer joy he played with, the audacity of his shots, and the way he transformed the Warriors into an offensive juggernaut that finished with a 73-9 record, breaking the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls’ legendary mark. I remember arguing with friends who claimed the Warriors were just a "regular season team," but watching them dismantle opponents with ball movement and shooting felt like witnessing basketball’s future.

Of course, no historic run comes without its controversies and dramatic moments. I’m reminded of a phrase that stuck with me from a completely different context but captures the tension of that season perfectly: "Against all odds, Adamson caught this big fish despite the shoddy officiating in the waning minutes and got things done this time after falling to La Salle, 60-58, last Saturday." While this refers to a college game, it echoes the resilience we saw in Curry and the Warriors. They faced skepticism—critics said their style wouldn’t hold up in the playoffs, and there were games where calls didn’t go their way, yet they kept delivering, much like that underdog story. Curry, in particular, had moments where he’d shake off a rough start or a questionable foul to drop 20 points in a quarter, silencing doubters with a flick of the wrist.

I’ve always believed that MVPs are defined by moments that transcend the stat sheet, and Curry had plenty. One that stands out is his game-winner against Oklahoma City in February—a 38-foot bomb in overtime that he released so nonchalantly, as if he were tossing a crumpled paper into a trash can. I was watching with a group of friends, and when that shot went in, the room erupted. Someone yelled, "That’s your MVP!" and honestly, it was hard to disagree. That shot wasn’t just a highlight; it was a statement—a reminder that Curry could bend games to his will in ways we hadn’t seen since Michael Jordan.

But let’s not forget the context of that MVP race. LeBron James was putting up monstrous numbers in Cleveland, averaging 25.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 6.8 assists, and Kawhi Leonard was anchoring the Spurs’ defense with a career year. Yet, Curry’s unanimous selection—the first in NBA history—felt inevitable. I remember thinking at the time that it wasn’t just about being the best player; it was about revolutionizing the game. Analysts like ESPN’s Zach Lowe often pointed out how Curry’s gravity—the way defenses warped around him—created opportunities for everyone else. As one coach anonymously noted, "You can’t game plan for someone who shoots from the parking lot."

In the end, the 2016 MVP award was more than a trophy; it was a coronation of a new era in basketball. Curry’s season pushed the boundaries of what we thought possible, blending efficiency with entertainment in a way that drew in casual fans and purists alike. Sure, the Warriors’ Finals collapse to LeBron’s Cavaliers later that June cast a shadow, but it doesn’t diminish the regular-season masterpiece. Looking back, I’d argue that Curry’s 2016 campaign is the greatest offensive season ever—a perfect storm of skill, confidence, and team synergy. So, who was the 2016 NBA MVP? It was Stephen Curry, and if you ask me, we might not see another season like it for a long, long time.