NBA reveals 2025-26 award finalists, Gilgeous-Alexander, Jokić, Wembanyama lead MVP race

The NBA’s 2025-26 award races turned into a referendum on star value, durability and two-way impact as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokić and Victor Wembanyama were named finalists for Kia MVP, with the league set to roll out its winners throughout the postseason starting with Defensive Player of the Year on Monday.

Gilgeous-Alexander, the reigning MVP after edging Jokić and Giannis Antetokounmpo last season, returned as a finalist after another dominant year for the Oklahoma City Thunder. ESPN reported that he averaged 31.1 points and 6.6 assists on 55% shooting, a production line that keeps him in the center of the league’s most important conversation: whether scoring volume, efficiency and team success matter more than raw box-score size. His presence again gives Oklahoma City a spotlight in a race that increasingly rewards players who carry elite offenses without sacrificing control.

Jokić’s case remained as strong as ever. The Denver Nuggets center averaged 27.7 points, 12.9 rebounds and 10.7 assists, and ESPN noted that he became the first player to lead the NBA in both assists and rebounds. That blend of playmaking and command has made Jokić the standard for value beyond traditional scoring, and his inclusion alongside Gilgeous-Alexander and Wembanyama underscores how the MVP race has evolved into a debate over all-around offensive orchestration, not just points per game.

Wembanyama’s rise gave the ballot a different kind of pressure point. The San Antonio Spurs star averaged 25 points and 11.5 rebounds in 29.2 minutes, while ESPN said he led the league in blocked shots per game for a third straight season. He also became a finalist for Defensive Player of the Year with Chet Holmgren and Ausar Thompson, a sign that his case stretches beyond one award. ESPN reported that the Spurs won 27 of 29 games since Feb. 1 during his late-season surge, pushing him into the MVP discussion and raising the possibility that he could become the first player since Derrick Rose to win MVP as early as his third season.

The rest of the ballot pointed to the league’s broader shift toward younger, more versatile talent. Anthony Edwards joined Gilgeous-Alexander and Jamal Murray as Clutch Player finalists, even though he fell short of the 65-game minimum because coaches selected those nominees. Rookie of the Year finalists were VJ Edgecombe, Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel, while Most Improved Player featured Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Deni Avdija and Jalen Duren. The other finalists were Tim Hardaway Jr., Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Keldon Johnson for Sixth Man, and J.B. Bickerstaff, Mitch Johnson and Joe Mazzulla for Coach of the Year. The finalist list showed a league where individual awards are being shaped less by reputation alone and more by efficiency, versatility and what winning teams actually look like.