The LNB Élite Most Valuable Player Award is the most valuable player award of the top-tier level men's professional club basketball league in France, the LNB Élite. Maxi-Basket holds the vote, and calls it the referendum.
The record for most MVP awards is hold by Antoine Rigaudeau who won five awards. Victor Wembanyama is the youngest player to ever win the award, as he won it at age 19, in 2023.
Player of the Year awards (before 1983)
Before 1983, the title of the best player in the league was sometimes assigned by a panel of journalists, but the charts are incomplete.
Jean Degros (Denain) was voted the best player of the year in the 1962–63 season. Alain Gilles (ASVEL) was voted the best player of the year in the 1964–65, 1966–67, and 1967–68 seasons. Michel Le Ray (ABC Nantes) was voted the best player of the year in the 1965–66 season. Pierre Galle (AS Berck) was voted the best player of the year in the 1972–73 and 1973–74 seasons.
Two awards (1983–2014) Between 1983 and 2005, the monthly Maxi-Basket conducted a vote of the players and head coaches of the league. Since 2005, the coaches and captains of the LNB Pro A clubs, and a panel of fifty journalists are asked to vote.
Since the 2014–15 LNB Pro A season, the MVP award is a single unified award. Prior to that, it was divided into two separate awards, one for French players, and one for non-French players. + Season French Domestic Player's MVP Foreign Player's MVP 1982–83 Philippe Szanyiel (ASVEL) Ed Murphy (Limoges) 1983–84 Hervé Dubuisson (Stade) Ed Murphy (Limoges) 1984–85 Richard Dacoury (Limoges) Ed Murphy (Limoges) 1985–86 Stéphane Ostrowski (Limoges) Kevin Figaro (Challans) 1986–87 Freddy Hufnagel (Orthez) Bill Varner (Antibes) 1987–88 Stéphane Ostrowski (Limoges) Don Collins (Limoges) 1988–89 Stéphane Ostrowski (Limoges) Don Collins (Limoges) 1989–90 Stéphane Ostrowski (Limoges) Don Collins (Limoges) 1990–91 Antoine Rigaudeau (Cholet) Michael Brooks (Limoges) 1991–92 Antoine Rigaudeau (Cholet) Michael Brooks (Limoges) 1992–93 Antoine Rigaudeau (Cholet) Michael Young (Limoges) 1993–94 Antoine Rigaudeau (Cholet) Michael Young (Limoges) 1994–95 Yann Bonato (Paris) David Rivers (Antibes) 1995–96 Antoine Rigaudeau (Orthez) Delaney Rudd (ASVEL) 1996–97 Yann Bonato (Limoges) Delaney Rudd (ASVEL) 1997–98 Jim Bilba (ASVEL) Jerry McCullough (BCM) 1998–99 Laurent Foirest (Orthez) Keith Jennings (MSB) 1999–00 Moustapha Sonko (ASVEL) Marcus Brown (Limoges) 2000–01 Jim Bilba (ASVEL) Bill Edwards (ASVEL) 2001–02 Cyril Julian (Nancy) Roger Esteller (Orthez) 2002–03 Boris Diaw (Orthez) Rico Hill (MSB) 2003–04 Laurent Foirest (Orthez) Rick Hughes (SIG) 2004–05 Laurent Sciarra (BCM) Jermaine Guice (STB) 2005–06 Cyril Julian (Nancy) Jason Rowe (Toulon) 2006–07 Cyril Julian (Nancy) Dewarick Spencer (Roanne) 2007–08 Nando de Colo (Cholet) Marc Salyers (Roanne) 2008–09 Alain Koffi (MSB) Austin Nichols (Toulon) 2009–10 Ali Traoré (ASVEL) Ricardo Greer (Nancy) 2010–11 Mickaël Gelabale (ASVEL) Sammy Mejia (Cholet) 2011–12 Fabien Causeur (Cholet) Blake Schilb (Chalon) 2012–13 Edwin Jackson (ASVEL) Dwight Buycks (BCM) 2013–14 Antoine Diot (SIG) Randal Falker (Nancy)
LNB Pro A Unified MVP award (2015–present) Since from the 2015–16 season, no differentiation was made between French and foreign players, and one award was given for the best player of the league.
^Denotes player who is still active in the Pro A *Inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame Denotes player whose team won championship that yearPlayer (X)Denotes the number of times the player has been named MVPTeam (X)Denotes the number of times a player from this team has won SeasonPlayerPositionNationalityClubRef(s)2014–15 PF Limoges CSP (18)Adrien Moerman premier MVP unifié de Pro A2015–16 C/PF Élan Chalon (2)2016–17 PG Élan Béarnais Pau-Orthez2017–18 C/PF JL Bourg2018–19 PG JDA Dijon 2019–20Not awarded 2020–21 SF/PF SIG Strasbourg 2021–22Will Cummings PG Metropolitans 92 2022–23Victor WembanyamaMetropolitans 92 (2)2023–24T. J. ShortsParis Basketball 2024–25T. J. Shorts (2)Paris Basketball 2025–26Élie OkoboAS Monaco
Notes: There was no awarding in the 2019–20, because the season was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic in Europe.
L'Équipe awards (1994–2005) Between 1994 and 2005, the French newspaper, L'Équipe, also conducted a selection of the best French and foreign players of the league, through a vote of journalists. These awards are also considered official by the Ligue Nationale de Basket (LNB).
+ Season French Domestic Player's MVP Foreign Player's MVP 1993–94 Antoine Rigaudeau (Cholet) Michael Young (Limoges) 1994–95 Yann Bonato (Paris) David Rivers (Antibes) 1995–96 Antoine Rigaudeau (Orthez) Delaney Rudd (ASVEL) 1996–97 Jim Bilba (ASVEL) Delaney Rudd (ASVEL) 1997–98 Alain Digbeu (ASVEL) Jerry McCullough (BCM) 1998–99 Laurent Foirest (Orthez) Keith Jennings (MSB) 1999–00 Moustapha Sonko (ASVEL) Marcus Brown (Limoges) 2000–01 Jim Bilba (ASVEL) Bill Edwards (ASVEL) 2001–02 Cyril Julian (Nancy) - Tony Dorsey (Cholet) 2002–03 Laurent Sciarra (Paris) Dragan Lukovski (Orthez) 2003–04 Laurent Foirest (Orthez) Rick Hughes (SIG) 2004–05 Laurent Sciarra (BCM) Jermaine Guice (STB)
Players with the most French MVPs won by year French Player's MVP and L'Équipe MVP awards combined. When the player won both awards in the same year, it is counted as a single MVP for the year. PlayerClub(s)Number of MVPsYears Won Antoine Rigaudeau Cholet (4), Pau-Orthez (1) 5 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996 Stéphane Ostrowski Limoges 4 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990 Cyril Julian Nancy 3 2002, 2006, 2007 Jim Bilba ASVEL 3 1997, 1998, 2001 Yann Bonato Paris, Limoges 2 1995, 1997 Laurent Foirest Pau-Orthez 2 1999, 2004 Laurent Sciarra Paris, Gravelines 2 2003, 2005
Players with the most Foreign MVPs won by year Foreign Player's MVP and L'Équipe MVP awards combined. When the player won both awards in the same year, it is counted as a single MVP for the year.
PlayerClub(s)Number of MVPsYears Won Don Collins Limoges 3 1988, 1989, 1990 Ed Murphy Limoges 3 1983, 1984, 1985 Michael Brooks Limoges 2 1991, 1992 Delaney Rudd ASVEL 2 1996, 1997 Michael Young Limoges 2 1993, 1994
See also LNB Pro A Finals MVP LNB Pro A Awards
References
External links Official Site