OKLAHOMA CITY – Victor Wembanyama, the talented rookie from the San Antonio Spurs, is set to make a significant mark in the NBA as he appears poised to receive his first career nomination to the All-NBA First Team. This comes on the heels of an impressive performance that saw him finish third in the voting for the league’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) award.
The process of determining the MVP and All-NBA selections involves polling 100 reporters and broadcasters who cover the league. These voters rank their top five choices, and it seems that several of the top players this season might have benefited from an appeals process regarding their eligibility.
Notably, Luka Doncic of the Los Angeles Lakers and Cade Cunningham of the Detroit Pistons successfully appealed to be included in the MVP and All-NBA discussions, despite not meeting the standard 65-game minimum requirement. Doncic finished fourth and Cunningham fifth in the MVP voting announced recently.
With the All-NBA teams now being positionless, Doncic and Cunningham are positioned well for first-team selections when those announcements are made in the coming days.
MVP Voting Insights
The MVP voting showcases a competitive landscape, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of Oklahoma City emerging as the league’s MVP. Following him are Nikola Jokic of Denver and Wembanyama, who all appeared on every ballot. The anticipated All-NBA First Team may likely include Gilgeous-Alexander, Jokic, Wembanyama, Doncic, and Cunningham.
Doncic and Cunningham played 64 games each this season. Their eligibility for awards was based on the “extraordinary circumstances provision” outlined in the collective bargaining agreement, which the league and the National Basketball Players Association agreed upon.
Cunningham’s Historic Votes
Interestingly, Cunningham garnered two first-place votes in the MVP balloting, becoming the first U.S.-born player to achieve this distinction since 2021. The last American-born player to receive first-place votes was Stephen Curry, who received five votes that year.
Jokic’s Continued Excellence
Nikola Jokic finished second in the MVP race, marking his sixth consecutive season finishing in the top two. This achievement ties him with Boston Celtics legends Bill Russell and Larry Bird. Jokic’s consistency has seen him win the MVP award in 2021, 2023, and 2024, while finishing second in the 2022 and 2025 seasons.
In fact, Jokic has received at least one first-place MVP vote for six consecutive years, the longest active streak in the league.
Voting Breakdown
In the MVP voting, only Gilgeous-Alexander, Jokic, and Wembanyama appeared on all 100 ballots. Gilgeous-Alexander received 83 first-place votes compared to Jokic’s 10 and Wembanyama’s five. The voting breakdown highlights the competitive nature of this year’s MVP discussion.
Moreover, the drought of No. 1 draft picks winning MVP awards continues, extending to 13 years since LeBron James last won the award in 2013.
As the NBA season progresses, the anticipation builds for the official announcement of the All-NBA teams and the recognition of players who have showcased exceptional talent and resilience this season.
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