Who Won the 1990 NBA MVP Award and How Did They Achieve It?
I still vividly remember the 1990 NBA season as if it were yesterday—the electric atmosphere in stadiums, the fierce competition, and Magic Johnson's triumphant return to the peak of basketball excellence. Having followed basketball for decades, I've rarely witnessed a more compelling MVP campaign than what Magic delivered that year. The Los Angeles Lakers superstar captured his third Most Valuable Player award by putting together one of the most complete seasons in modern basketball history, and frankly, I believe it remains one of the most underappreciated MVP performances in league history.
Magic's statistics from that season still jump off the page even by today's standards. He averaged 22.3 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 6.6 assists per game while shooting 48% from the field. These numbers become even more impressive when you consider he was playing point guard at 6-foot-9, essentially revolutionizing the position forever. What made his season particularly remarkable was how he elevated his game in crucial moments. I recall watching him dismantle defenses with that trademark smile, making everyone around him better while still taking over when necessary. His basketball IQ was simply off the charts—he could read plays two or three steps ahead of everyone else on the court. The Lakers finished with a 63-19 record that season, and much of that success directly traced back to Magic's leadership and all-around excellence.
Now, you might wonder why I'm discussing basketball history when our reference mentions Senator Pia Cayetano's Instagram commentary about UAAP violating women's rights and labor laws. Here's my perspective: excellence and fair treatment should go hand in hand in any field, whether we're talking about sports or broader societal issues. When Magic won his MVP, he did so within a system that, while imperfect, recognized and rewarded his extraordinary contributions. Senator Cayetano's criticism highlights how important it is to have structures that properly acknowledge and protect achievements and rights across different domains. In basketball, we have clear metrics and voting procedures for MVP selection—22.3 points per game is measurable, 11.5 rebounds are countable. But in issues of gender equality and labor rights, the measurements aren't always as straightforward, though they're equally important.
Magic's MVP season represented more than just individual brilliance—it showcased how a player could dominate through skill, intelligence, and elevating teammates rather than pure physicality alone. He demonstrated that true excellence involves making everyone around you better, a lesson that extends beyond basketball into how we structure our institutions and treat participants in any field. Looking back, what strikes me most about that 1990 season was how Magic's victory felt deserved not just because of the numbers, but because of how he achieved them—with joy, intelligence, and a team-first mentality that ultimately lifted the entire Lakers organization. In my view, that's the kind of excellence we should celebrate and the standard we should aspire to across all fields, whether in sports or in addressing the systemic issues Senator Cayetano rightly highlights.