LeBron James is the 2009-10 NBA Most Valuable Player, presented by Kia Motors.

One MVP trophy wasn’t enough for LeBron James. James, who raised his game to another level while leading the Cleveland Cavaliers to 61 wins in the regular season, said Saturday he’s grateful to win the league’s top individual award for the second straight season. He will receive the trophy on Sunday in his hometown of Akron.

For the second straight year, James chose to have the award ceremony his hometown of Akron.

“It’s another humbling experience,” he said before the Cavs hosted Boston in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. “It’s hard to grasp, honestly. You put in a lot of hard work as an individual, you get an opportunity to showcase your talent with teammates that you love in a city that you love, it’s great.”

James became the 10th player in league history to win consecutive MVP awards, joining Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Moses Malone, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Tim Duncan and Steve Nash. Russell, Chamberlain and Bird won it three times in a row.

“Since I was a kid, I always said I’d find a way to put Akron on the map,” James said. “It will always be my home and it will always be my life.”

“Akron, Ohio is my home,” he said.

Photo by NBA.com

James received 116 of a possible 123 first-place votes to win in a landslide over Oklahoma City forward Kevin Durant, who was picked first on four ballots. Orlando center Dwight Howard received the other three first-place votes and finished fourth.

Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant had no first-place votes and finished third.

Voting was done by a nationwide panel of sports writers and broadcasters, and this year one ballot was cast by fans in an online vote, which went to James. Players were awarded 10 points for first, seven points for second, five for third, three for fourth and one for fifth.

James finished second on five ballots and two writers placed him third. A year ago, James received 109 of 122 first-place votes.

James finished with 1,205 points, nearly doubling Durant (609). His margin of victory is the second largest in history, topped by only O’Neal, who won by 799 points in 2000. His first-place total was also the most since Kevin Garnett got 120 of 123 in 2004.