Three Decembers in, plenty of fans still watch the Emirates NBA Cup final and ask the same question out loud: wait, who actually won this thing before? Is it a real trophy? Does a player get paid for it? If a quick mental replay of “wasn’t that LeBron… or was it Giannis?” sounds familiar, the mix-up is understandable — the tournament is young, the trophy has only been handed out three times, and most recaps online only cover one season at a time instead of the whole story.
Below is the complete, up-to-date record: every champion, every Most Valuable Player, every All-Tournament team, plus the story behind the trophy itself and a look at what’s changing when the 2026-27 event tips off. Every result, score, and stat line here has been checked against official NBA game recaps and league announcements, so team names, scores, and MVP picks are accurate as of today.
Three championship games have been played since the event began in 2023, first under the name NBA In-Season Tournament, then as the Emirates NBA Cup once the sponsorship deal was signed in 2024 — the full naming story is in the Emirates NBA Cup FAQ. Three different franchises have won it, three different players have earned tournament MVP, and no team has repeated — yet.
Every Emirates NBA Cup Champion, Year by Year
| Season | Champion | Runner-Up | Score | MVP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-24 | Los Angeles Lakers | Indiana Pacers | 123-109 | LeBron James |
| 2024-25 | Milwaukee Bucks | Oklahoma City Thunder | 97-81 | Giannis Antetokounmpo |
| 2025-26 | New York Knicks | San Antonio Spurs | 124-113 | Jalen Brunson |
2023-24: The Lakers Make History First
Every Emirates NBA Cup story starts here. The Lakers rolled through group play, then needed a tight three-point win over the Phoenix Suns in the quarterfinal before blowing the New Orleans Pelicans out in the semifinal. In the very first championship game ever played, they beat the Indiana Pacers 123-109 in Las Vegas, and LeBron James became the tournament’s first-ever MVP.
2024-25: Giannis and the Bucks Take Their Turn
Milwaukee handled the Orlando Magic and Atlanta Hawks on the way to a championship date with an Oklahoma City Thunder team that would go on to win the actual NBA title that same season. It didn’t matter — the Bucks controlled the game defensively, and Giannis Antetokounmpo’s 26 points, 19 rebounds and 10 assists were more than enough for a 97-81 win and his first Cup MVP.
2025-26: The Knicks Complete a Rare Double
New York beat San Antonio 124-113 behind Jalen Brunson, who became the tournament’s third MVP in three tries. What makes the Knicks’ run stand out from the first two championships: New York and San Antonio met again months later in the 2026 NBA Finals, and the Knicks won that series too — making New York the first team to beat the same opponent for both the Emirates NBA Cup and the league championship in a single season.
Emirates NBA Cup MVP Winners
Three seasons, three different MVPs so far, each picked by a mix of media voters and fan balloting:
| Season | MVP | Team | MVP Performance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-24 | LeBron James | Los Angeles Lakers | 26.4 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 7.0 apg across the tournament (24 pts, 11 reb in the final) |
| 2024-25 | Giannis Antetokounmpo | Milwaukee Bucks | Triple-double in the final: 26 pts, 19 reb, 10 ast |
| 2025-26 | Jalen Brunson | New York Knicks | 25 pts, 8 ast, 4 reb in the final; won MVP by a single vote |
The voting blends a 20-person media panel with a fan vote, similar in spirit to All-Star balloting but limited to players from tournament teams. Brunson’s 2025-26 win came down to a single vote: he took 19 of 20 media ballots, with the other going to his own teammate, OG Anunoby.
All-NBA Cup / All-Tournament Teams by Year
LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Kevin Durant, Tyrese Haliburton, Giannis Antetokounmpo
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Damian Lillard, Alperen Şengün, Trae Young
Jalen Brunson, Luka Dončić, De’Aaron Fox, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Karl-Anthony Towns
Only two players have earned a spot on the All-Tournament team twice: Giannis Antetokounmpo (2023-24 and 2024-25) and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2024-25 and 2025-26). Everyone else on the list above has one selection so far.
The Trophy: What It’s Actually Made Of
The trophy handed to the champion isn’t a generic league trophy with a new sticker on it — it was purpose-built for this event. Designer Victor Solomon created it, and Tiffany & Co. crafted the piece out of sterling silver, coated in 24-karat gold vermeil and black ceramic. It stands 23 inches tall, a nod to the year the tournament began (2023), weighs 35 pounds, and carries two details basketball fans tend to notice once they’re pointed out:
- Eight gold prongs rising from the base, one for each team that reaches the knockout round.
- Thirty openings woven into the net pattern at the base, one for every team in the league.
Records and Firsts Worth Knowing
- First-ever champion and MVP: Los Angeles Lakers and LeBron James, 2023-24.
- First repeat All-Tournament selections: Giannis Antetokounmpo and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
- First team to win the Cup and the NBA Finals in the same season: the 2025-26 New York Knicks.
- Closest MVP vote: Jalen Brunson’s 2025-26 win, by a single media ballot.
- Championship venue streak: all three finals so far have been played at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas — a streak that ends with the 2026-27 final at Hinkle Fieldhouse.
Which Teams Have Reached the Championship Game?
Three trips to the final, three different champions, and so far no repeat winner:
| Team | Championship Appearances | Titles |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Lakers | 1 | 1 |
| Milwaukee Bucks | 1 | 1 |
| New York Knicks | 1 | 1 |
| Indiana Pacers | 1 | 0 |
| Oklahoma City Thunder | 1 | 0 |
| San Antonio Spurs | 1 | 0 |
The other 24 franchises are still chasing their first trip to a championship game. Anyone tracking how their own team is doing this season toward a possible spot at the top of that list can follow the current group standings, which update as games are played.
For everything tied to how the current season is unfolding, the full 2026 season hub is available at the 2026 Emirates NBA Cup coverage page, and live scores for every Cup Night run on the NBA Cup Live homepage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has won the Emirates NBA Cup the most times?
No team has won it more than once yet. The Los Angeles Lakers (2023-24), Milwaukee Bucks (2024-25), and New York Knicks (2025-26) have each won exactly one title.
How is the Emirates NBA Cup MVP decided?
A 20-person media voting panel combined with a fan vote selects the MVP, following the tournament’s knockout rounds and championship game. The 2025-26 race was the closest yet — see the full breakdown above.
Has any team won both the Emirates NBA Cup and the NBA Finals in the same year?
Yes — the New York Knicks did it in 2025-26, becoming the first franchise to hold both titles in a single season.
Where is the 2026-27 Emirates NBA Cup championship game being played?
Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. See the Hinkle Fieldhouse guide for why the NBA picked it and what changes for fans.