Gilgeous-Alexander, Wembanyama, Jokic Named MVP Finalists

Why it matters locally: The nomination of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who led the Oklahoma City Thunder to a league-best record, and Chet Holmgren as a Defensive Player of the Year finalist, highlights the strong performance of Oklahoma City's NBA team.

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The NBA announced its finalists for the 2025-26 Most Valuable Player award, naming Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Victor Wembanyama, and Nikola Jokic as the top three contenders. Gilgeous-Alexander, the reigning MVP and NBA Finals MVP, guided the Oklahoma City Thunder to a league-best 64-18 record and the Western Conference's top seed. He concluded the season averaging over 30 points per game. Wembanyama led the San Antonio Spurs to their first playoff appearance since 2019. He averaged a career-high 25 points per game and a league-leading 3.1 blocks. Wembanyama also appears as a finalist for Defensive Player of the Year, alongside Chet Holmgren of Oklahoma City and Ausar Thompson of the Detroit Pistons. Jokic, a three-time MVP, averaged a triple-double for the Denver Nuggets. He became the first player in NBA history to lead the league in both rebounds and assists in a single season, recording averages of 27.9 points, 12.8 rebounds, and 10.8 assists per game. Gilgeous-Alexander also earned a finalist spot for Clutch Player of the Year. He accumulated 175 points in clutch situations, defined as the final five minutes of regulation or overtime with a score differential of five points or less. Anthony Edwards of the Minnesota Timberwolves also made the Clutch Player finalists list. Luka Doncic of the Los Angeles Lakers and Cade Cunningham of the Detroit Pistons, both ruled eligible despite not meeting the 65-game minimum, did not appear on the final MVP ballot. A panel of sports media members will vote on the awards, with announcements scheduled during the playoffs.