As the 2025-26 NBA season enters its final stretch with the playoffs just a month away, the MVP race is beginning to take its final shape. What once looked like a two-man battle between Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic has evolved, with late-season surges reshaping the hierarchy.
At the same time, the league’s 65-game eligibility rule continues to loom large, effectively disqualifying several elite performers despite their production. That means that superstar Victor Wembanyama might eventually miss out despite being a perennial MVP star, although he remains in it for now.
At the same time, Cade Cunningham has now fallen out of the race after playing just 61 games and facing a multi-week absence that will sideline him for the rest of the season.
With availability now as important as dominance, the race has narrowed, yet a new challenger has jumped into the spotlight.
10. Jalen Johnson
2025-26 Season Statistics: 22.9 PPG, 10.5 RPG, 8.1 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.5 BPG
Team Record: 38-31 (8th in Eastern Conference)
Jalen Johnson’s leap this season has been one of the most underappreciated developments in the league. Averaging nearly a triple-double from the forward spot, Johnson has taken over the Hawks‘ offense and is the franchise superstar after the Trae Young trade.
What strengthens his case is how natural it all looks. While he’s not quite in the top-tier MVP conversation yet, this season has put him firmly on the radar as one of the league’s most dynamic all-around players.
9. Jalen Duren
2025-26 Season Statistics: 19.0 PPG, 10.6 RPG, 1.7 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.9 BPG
Team Record: 49-19 (1st in Eastern Conference)
Jalen Duren has turned into a dominant interior presence as Cade Cunningham‘s co-star. His scoring comes largely from high-percentage looks, but it’s his rebounding that consistently tilts games. He controls the glass on both ends and is a force on the defensive end.
Beyond the raw production, Duren’s growth is evident in his decision-making and defensive awareness. While his MVP case isn’t built on offensive brilliance yet, his impact as a traditional big in a modern game stands out. Since the Pistons are 1st in the East with a 49-19 record, Duren deserves his top-10 ranking.
8. Chet Holmgren
2025-26 Season Statistics: 17.2 PPG, 9.0 RPG, 1.7 APG, 0.6 SPG, 1.9 BPG
Team Record: 55-15 (1st in Western Conference)
Chet Holmgren’s value is obvious. He’s the defensive backbone of an elite team, altering shots, protecting the rim, and covering ground in ways few big men can. Offensively, he spaces the floor and plays within himself, making him an ideal modern big.
His MVP case is about his true impact. Holmgren doesn’t need to dominate possessions to control games; he influences them with positioning, timing, and versatility. That balance between individual production and team success keeps him firmly in the top 10.
7. Anthony Edwards
2025-26 Season Statistics: 29.5 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 3.7 APG, 1.4 SPG, 0.8 BPG
Team Record: 43-27 (4th in Western Conference)
Anthony Edwards is an MVP-caliber superstar, even if his jump has not quite reached the level of those ahead of him. Night after night, he puts pressure on defenses with his ability to attack from all three levels, and when he gets going, there’s very little anyone can do to slow him down.
What’s pushing his case higher is his improved consistency and defensive effort. Edwards isn’t just a highlight machine anymore and is more of a complete player. His play has guided the Timberwolves to the 4th seed, so his ranking is fair.
6. Donovan Mitchell
2025-26 Season Statistics: 28.0 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 5.9 APG, 1.6 SPG, 0.3 BPG
Team Record: 42-27 (4th in Eastern Conference)
Donovan Mitchell continues to be one of the most unstoppable offensive weapons in the league. His scoring comes in bursts that can completely flip the momentum of a game, and he’s become more comfortable balancing scoring with playmaking responsibilities.
With James Harden by his side, Mitchell’s numbers should have gone down, but they haven’t. While he may not have the all-around statistical profile of some players above him, Mitchell has been the best shooting guard in the NBA and deserves his spot just outside the top five.
5. Jaylen Brown
2025-26 Season Statistics: 28.5 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 5.1 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.4 BPG
Team Record: 46-23 (2nd in Eastern Conference)
Jaylen Brown is putting together the most complete season of his career. He’s not just scoring at a high level; he’s rebounding, facilitating, and defending. His offensive game has expanded, and he has become a true leader with Jayson Tatum sidelined.
What elevates Brown’s case is his role on a contending team. He’s actively driving success. That evolution has turned him into a legitimate two-way force worthy of serious MVP consideration, and the return of Tatum could boost his team’s record even more.
4. Victor Wembanyama
2025-26 Season Statistics: 24.2 PPG, 11.1 RPG, 2.9 APG, 1.0 SPG, 3.0 BPG
Team Record: 51-18 (2nd in Western Conference)
Victor Wembanyama’s impact is undeniable for the 2nd-seeded San Antonio Spurs. On a per-game basis, few players in the league can match his combination of scoring, rebounding, and elite rim protection. Wemby is becoming scarily dominant, and it won’t be long before cleaning up individual awards.
The only thing holding him back is availability. With the 65-game rule looming, every missed game carries massive weight. If he falls short of the threshold with two games missed, his candidacy disappears entirely, regardless of how dominant he’s been. Still, we know what to expect from the Frenchman in the future.
*Wembanyama is two missed games away from being disqualified
3. Luka Doncic
2025-26 Season Statistics: 33.0 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 8.5 APG, 1.5 SPG, 0.6 BPG
Team Record: 44-25 (3rd in Western Conference)
Luka Doncic has surged into the top three with a stretch of basketball that feels almost inevitable at this point. His scoring is relentless, his playmaking is elite, and he controls games at his own pace. Leading the league in scoring, Doncic is the superstar the Lakers knew they were getting when they made the trade for him.
What’s changed recently is the winning. As the Lakers have climbed the standings to the 3rd seed, Luka’s numbers have taken on greater significance. Voters have always expected this level of production from him, and the success he is bringing puts him in the top three.
2. Nikola Jokic
2025-26 Season Statistics: 28.2 PPG, 12.6 RPG, 10.5 APG, 1.5 SPG, 0.8 BPG
Team Record: 42-28 (6th in Western Conference)
Nikola Jokic is once again redefining what dominance looks like. Averaging a triple-double as a center is already absurd, but it’s the efficiency and control that separate him. He leads the NBA in rebounds and assists, and that alone puts him in the top two in voting.
The looming concern, however, is availability. Sitting just one missed game away from disqualification, his MVP case is hanging by a thread despite historic production. If he remains eligible, he has a legitimate argument for the top spot. But in a race this tight, even one absence could be the difference between winning and falling out entirely.
*Jokic is one missed game away from being disqualified
1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
2025-26 Season Statistics: 31.5 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 6.6 APG, 1.4 SPG, 0.8 BPG
Team Record: 55-15 (1st in Western Conference)
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has set the standard this season. His scoring is both efficient and consistent, and he’s been the driving force behind the best team in the Western Conference all season long. They were the first team to capture a playoff spot, and Shai is the best player on the team.
More importantly, he’s been available and dependable, which matters more than ever under the current rules. While others around him face uncertainty due to missed games, SGA has stayed steady, delivering at a high level every night. Make no mistake, SGA is on his way to winning his second-straight MVP award.
