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Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander atop NBA MVP race for majority of players
TL;DR
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leads the NBA MVP race according to an anonymous player poll, receiving 39% of the votes from 159 players. Nikola Jokic follows with 21.4%, while Luka Doncic, Jaylen Brown, and Cade Cunningham each received 8.2%.
Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander atop NBA MVP race for majority of players originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
A lot of talk has been going around the league about who should be crowned NBA MVP. People argue that Luka Doncic and Victor Wembanyama deserve it way more. For players who go up against these legends, they all seem to only have one answer: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The Oklahoma City Thunder star impressed his peers quite a lot during the 2025-26 season and it showed on The Athletic's anonymous player poll.
Why Gilgeous-Alexander ranks high in NBA MVP talks among his peers
The Thunder superstar had a sizable lead over the other NBA MVP candidates when it came to The Athletic's anonymous player poll. Among 159 NBA players, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was the top pick to win the award as he notched 39% of the votes. Nikola Jokic only ranked second by garnering 21.4% of the votes from his peers. Jaylen Brown, Cade Cunningham, and Luka Doncic all got tied up at third as they each notched 8.2% of the votes.
With the season all wrapped up, it is not hard to see that Gilgeous-Alexander will win another NBA MVP award. He will join a legendary 13-man list of players who won back-to-back like Michael Jordan, Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Stephen Curry, LeBron James, and more. An unnamed NBA player outlined what makes the Thunder superstar so special.
"Shai has been super consistent. They’ve had injuries, and he’s stayed consistent. We take it for granted, (but) he scores at least 20 every night. He’s had a lot of his guys injured, and they’re still No. 1 in the West," he said.
Another NBA player made Gilgeous-Alexander's NBA MVP case very simple, "He’s the best player on the best team. What more do you have to say?"
It will still be up to the voters if they will allow the Thunder superstar to win back-to-back NBA MVP honors. If he does not, there might be some uproar among players in the association.
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Q&A
How many votes did Shai Gilgeous-Alexander receive in the MVP poll?
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander received 39% of the votes in the MVP poll conducted among 159 NBA players.
Who are the other top contenders for the NBA MVP award this season?
The other top contenders include Nikola Jokic with 21.4% of the votes and Luka Doncic, Jaylen Brown, and Cade Cunningham, each with 8.2%.
Which legendary players have won back-to-back NBA MVP awards?
Legendary players who have won back-to-back NBA MVP awards include Michael Jordan, Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Stephen Curry, and LeBron James.
