NBA MVP straw poll: Where 100 league insiders see the race headed
SGA? Jokic? Cup MVP Jalen Brunson? We polled 100 media members in a ballot that mirrors the league's official vote.
www.espn.comHere’s the latest I can share about the NBA MVP race.
Answer
- As of mid-December 2025, Nikola Jokić, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Luka Dončić were leading the MVP conversations in most early-season discussions, with other top candidatesLike Jaylen Brown and Cade Cunningham also generating strong cases in various rankings.[1][3][8]
- By February 2026, several outlets highlighted Cade Cunningham making a surge into the MVP conversation, with rankings showing a tight race among SGA, Jokic, Dončić, and Cunningham, and Brown/Jalen Brunson as notable contenders in the mix.[3][5][6][8]
- A March 2026 analysis from NBC Sports framed the season as a four-to-five-man race featuring SGA, Jokic, Dončić, Brown, and Cunningham, depending on health and performance down the stretch.[4]
Context and sources
- The MVP straw poll from December 2025 indicated strong support for Jokic and SGA at the top, with growing discussion around Dončić and others in the mix.[1]
- Major outlets continued to publish updated MVP ladders through early 2026, reflecting shifting perceptions as players’ seasons progressed and injuries impacted candidate pools.[5][3]
- By January–February 2026, media rankings and expert panels consistently placed Cunningham among the top contenders, signaling a broadened field beyond the early-season frontrunners.[6][5]
If you’d like, I can pull up the most recent official MVP ladder or summarize current odds from sports books, and include a quick comparison table of top contenders with their season stats (points, rebounds, assists, win share). Would you like that?
Citations
- MVP straw poll and player context around Jokic/SGA, etc.[1]
- Kia MVP Ladder and top contenders updates through 2025–2026 (including Cunningham surge)[3][4][5][6]
- Additional rankings and race analysis highlighting the evolving field[8]