The NBA confirmed on Friday, May 15, the three finalists for the 2025–26 Kia NBA Most Valuable Player Award, setting up a final vote between three of the league’s most productive stars: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder, Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets, and Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs. The winner will be revealed on Sunday, May 17 at 7:30 PM ET.
Gilgeous-Alexander enters the final stage after a season built on efficient scoring and two-way impact. He averaged 31.1 points per game while shooting 55.3 percent from the field across 68 games.
Jokic returns to the MVP conversation with another statistically complete campaign for Denver. He posted 27.7 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 10.7 assists per game, maintaining his status as one of the league’s most dominant playmaking centers.
Wembanyama’s inclusion reflects a rapid rise in influence at both ends of the floor in his second major NBA season. He averaged 25.0 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 3.1 blocks per game while also anchoring San Antonio’s defensive structure.
The race reflects three different styles of impact across the 2025–26 season. Gilgeous-Alexander carried high-volume scoring efficiency, Jokic controlled offensive tempo through passing and decision-making, while Wembanyama provided interior defense and versatile scoring.
Advanced production highlights how narrow the separation is at the top of the ballot. All three finalists ranked among the league leaders in overall value metrics, with each playing a central role in teams that secured high Western Conference seeds.
Team success also frames the final evaluation stage, with Oklahoma City finishing the regular season at the top of the West, followed closely by San Antonio and Denver in the standings. Each franchise relied heavily on its MVP candidate during key stretches of the season.
