MIAMI (United States) – FIBA AmeriCup’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award was established during the 1999 edition in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Six different players have won it, two of them in more than occasion. Luis Scola, with four trophies (three consecutive) is the one who’s been named AmeriCup MVP the most times, followed by Steve Nash (2), Manu Ginobili, Marcelinho Machado, Gustavo Ayón and Jameel Warney, with one each.

Here is a look at each the tournament’s MVPs of the most prestigious tournament in the Americas, in the leadup to a new edition – and focusing on who could win it in Recife, Brazil this year (September 2-11).

Steve Nash

The former point guard and current head coach won the trophy back-to-back. The Canadian sharpshooter was the first MVP in 1999 after winning silver for his country (losing 92-66 to the United States) in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

In 2003, also in Puerto Rico, the Phoenix Suns’ legend, who played 19 seasons in the NBA, led Canada to fourth place in the tournament, losing to the home team in the bronze medal game, 79-66. That year he averaged 11.6 points and 6.6 assists. Two years later, the current Brooklyn Nets head coach was named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player in 2005, and repeated the feat in 2006.

Emanuel Ginóbili

Manu, a four-time NBA champion with the San Antonio Spurs and gold medalist with the Argentinian National Team at the 2004 Athens Olympics, among other feats, was selected as the tournament’s Most Valuable Player in Neuquén, Argentina, in 2001. Argentina won the title at home, defeating Brazil (78-59) and clinching a spot in the FIBA World Cup in Indianapolis, USA – where they would finish in second place. That tournament marked the beginning of the “Golden Generation” that would end up winning Olympic gold in 2004 and Olympic Bronze in Beijing 2008.

Luis Scola

The Argentinian power forward won MVP honors in four editions, three of them in a row. He was awarded for the first time in 2007 when Argentina took silver after losing 118-81 to the United States in Las Vegas. There, Scola averaged 19.4 points and 7.4 rebounds.

In 2009 in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Argentina claimed bronze after defeating Canada, 88-73, and Scola repeated as the tournament’s best player, with averages of 23.3 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists.

The former NBA player (Houston Rockets, Phoenix Suns, Indiana Pacers, Toronto Raptors and Brooklyn Nets) won it again in 2011 at home in Mar del Plata, with Argentina claiming gold after beating Brazil, 80-75. “Luifa” averaged 21.4 points and 6.3 rebounds

In 2015, he was named MVP for a fourth time in Mexico City, with Argentina falling to a Venezuelan team coached by Argentinian-born Néstor “Che” García in a memorable game (76-71). Scola averaged 21.1 points, 10.1 rebounds and 2.7 assists.

Marcelinho Machado

The 6-foot-7 forward was named MVP when his country won gold in 2005. In that occasion, Brazil defeated Argentina in the gold medal game, 108-88, in the Dominican Republic. Machado, who played in five World Cups and one Olympics with his national team’s jersey, averaged 23.4 points, 5.2 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game.

Gustavo Ayón

The Mexican center won the MVP award in the 2013 edition played in Caracas, Venezuela, where his team took home the gold medal after outlasting Puerto Rico, 91-89, in the final. During the tournament, the former NBA player averaged 17.5 points, 9.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists.

A year after that tournament got him international recognition, the 6-foot-10 Ayón became one of Real Madrid’s stars in the Spanish ACB. He won six titles with the legendary European club, including the 2015 Copa del Rey where he was also named Finals MVP.

Jameel Warney

In the latest edition of the tournament in 2017, the American big man won gold with the United States and was named MVP. He shined brightest in the final, notching 21 points and seven rebounds against host-country Argentina, beating them by an 81-76 final score. The 28-year-old Warney finished the tournament with averages of 12.8 points and 8.6 rebounds.

FIBA