Who are the Top 3 contenders within the Kia MVP chase as 2025-26 nears its finish? The Association’s crew takes a more in-depth look.
It would all the time be a tall order for anybody to crack the Shai Gilgeous-Alexander/Nikola Jokić stranglehold on the highest two spots within the Kia Race to the MVP, so it’s a very good factor Victor Wembanyama stands 7-foot-4. Or possibly even 7-foot-5.
The MVP dialog has centered on these two, not solely this season but additionally final season. They’ve all the time been a degree up on the remainder of the league due to their expertise, group success and consistency. The MVP is all the time judged extra strictly than different main seasonal awards, and Gilgeous-Alexander and Jokić persistently met the steep eligibility necessities.
And now alongside comes a participant who’s doing a lot the identical. The capability to maneuver up a spot on the MVP Ladder is finished weekly by quite a lot of gamers. But into the highest two? That’s completed this week by one participant, the one one certified to take action.
Yes, being No. 2 on this chase isn’t straightforward. Still, it serves as a salute to Wembanyama for elevating his recreation on each ends of the courtroom, particularly recently, and to the San Antonio Spurs, whom he has completed all season. Individual and group accomplishments all the time favorably affect the MVP dialog, and Wembanyama is excelling in each.
He’s maybe sitting in pole place for the league’s high defensive award as he leads the league in blocked photographs, averaging 4.3 blocks per recreation over his last 11 games. In that span, he owns seven double-figure rebound video games with a excessive of 17. Plus, he’s doing all that whereas his capturing and creativity are drastically improved from final fall.
Also issue on this perspective: Wembanyama is doing injury towards the very best the league can provide. His March 5 demolition of the East-leading Pistons — 38 points, 16 rebounds and five blocks — was among the many finest performances of the season by anybody. Then he adopted up with a 39-point, 11-rebound showing vs. Boston.
He additionally had strong outings this month towards the Houston Rockets and LA Clippers, two groups that entered these video games with scorching streaks and left with losses to Wembanyama.
All instructed, the Spurs have misplaced solely as soon as with Wembanyama within the lineup since Jan. 31. They are additionally proper on the heels of the West-leading Thunder, a group Wembanyama has dominated this season.
Here within the dwelling stretch of the Kia MVP race, it’s now a three-player sprint. Assuming none fall in need of the 65-game requirement for the award, this needs to be very watchable.
Setting the stage this week: If Anthony Edwards plans to crack the Ladder’s high 10 and keep there, he’ll have to leverage himself Sunday towards Gilgeous-Alexander and OKC. The reigning Kia MVP grew to become an NBA champion partly as a result of he outplayed Edwards within the 2025 Western Conference Finals. A recreation in mid-March clearly doesn’t carry the identical significance. Still, there’s extra urgency for this recreation with Edwards, not solely to rank increased on the ladder, however to place Minnesota for a greater playoff seeding.
The stat to know: Bam Adebayo moved into second place on the all-time single-game scoring checklist with 83 points on Tuesday. Here are the single-game profession highs of the MVP Ladder’s high 5: Gilgeous-Alexander, 55 factors (this season); Wembanyama, 50 (tallest participant to hit 50); Jokić, 61 (triple-double); Luka Dončić, 73 (tied for fifth-best in NBA historical past); Cade Cunningham, 46.
What they’re saying: “I don’t think people know how hard it is to do that. To make 20 points in 10 (straight) games, not 120 or whatever it is, it’s special. He’s a special player.” — Jokić on Gilgeous-Alexander and the 20-point recreation streak.
1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder
Last week’s ranking: No. 1
Season stats: 31.7 factors, 4.5 rebounds, 6.6 assists
His case: It has been a smashing final a number of days for Gilgeous-Alexander, who on Thursday claimed the consecutive 20-point recreation streak. He wrestled it from Wilt Chamberlain, who held the mark with 126 in a row, and anytime certainly one of Chamberlain’s data falls, it’s an astounding achievement. It simply displays Gilgeous-Alexander’s consistency and effectivity as he persistently retains his efficiency degree excessive, regardless of the time of season or opponent.
In addition, the league’s high clutch scorer delivered a masterful efficiency towards the Nuggets and Jokić earlier this week with 35 factors and 9 rebounds, together with the game-winner on a 3-point shot. And then on Thursday, he took down the Celtics with 14 of his 35 within the fourth quarter. He has 38 video games this season with a minimum of 30 factors.
2. Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs
Last week’s ranking: No. 4
Season stats: 24.2 factors, 11.1 rebounds, 3.0 blocks
His case: It’s too dangerous Wembanyama missed Thursday’s recreation towards Jokić and the Nuggets with an ankle sprain as a result of he has been on a roll towards high quality opponents recently. We had been denied a probably epic competitors; Wembanyama would’ve little doubt met the problem if solely as a result of he has completed so all season.
He’s averaging 28 factors and 11 rebounds with 4.2 blocks in March and is impacting video games extra intensely as a result of his minutes have elevated. The Spurs did their finest to protect Wembanyama for a lot of the season due to accidents and to maintain him recent for the stretch run. That technique has labored — the ankle damage isn’t thought of severe — and now Wembanyama is being unleashed upon the league.
3. Nikola Jokić, Denver Nuggets
Last week’s ranking: No. 2
Season stats: 28.6 factors, 12.5 rebounds, 10.4 assists
His case: Without Wembanyama within the lineup Thursday, Jokić feasted as anticipated, however even his eruption — 31 factors, 20 rebounds, 12 assists — was spectacular nonetheless. He stays on tempo to change into the primary participant to steer the league in rebound and help common in the identical season; as well as, he’s a digital lock to position among the many high eight in scoring as properly. Jokić is poised to common a triple-double for the season, a feat no different participant can try to say.
He has two fast objectives to make a severe bid for his fourth MVP award: Maintain a excessive degree of efficiency and one way or the other enhance the Nuggets’ spot within the standings. Their slippage is some extent of competition, and it’s the benefit that Gilgeous-Alexander and Wembanyama maintain over Jokić, a minimum of for now.
4. Luka Dončić, Los Angeles Lakers
Last week’s ranking: No. 6
Season stats: 32.5 factors, 7.9 rebounds, 8.5 assists
His case: At this level, it will be a shock if Dončić doesn’t preserve the NBA scoring lead and seize that title. After averaging “just” 27 factors in February, his lowest scoring month of the season, he burst into March, helped by a 44-pointer towards the Pacers, and reveals few indicators of falling off a 30-point tempo.
The Lakers clearly rely closely on his playmaking as properly. When he flirted with high-scoring, high-assist video games, the Lakers’ probabilities of successful elevated. Dončić has primarily assumed the function of LeBron James in that sense. This is shaping up as his most interesting season.
5. Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons
Last week’s ranking: No. 3
Season stats: 25.1 factors, 5.6 rebounds, 10 assists
His case: Cunningham continues to problem for the assists title, with extra examples of establishing teammates for simple photographs, making the Pistons’ offense extra fluid and unpredictable. He has 4 double-figure help performances in six video games this month, delivering 15 assists (with simply two turnovers and enjoying simply 26 minutes) in a 38-point win over the Nets, and is true at double-figure dimes this season.
Even higher, he nonetheless has the Pistons on high within the East as they brace for a possible takeover try by the Boston Celtics and Jayson Tatum within the season’s remaining few weeks. It gained’t be straightforward for Boston if Cunningham continues enjoying the way in which he has all season.
The subsequent 5:
6. Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers
7. Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics
8. Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves
9. Kawhi Leonard, LA Clippers
10. Jalen Johnson, Atlanta Hawks
And 5 extra (listed alphabetically): Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks; Kevin Durant, Houston Rockets; Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers; Jamal Murray, Denver Nuggets; Karl-Anthony Towns, New York Knicks.
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Shaun Powell has coated the NBA since 1985. You can e-mail him at spowell@nba.com, discover his archive here and follow him on X.
