Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Tops Anonymous MVP Poll
Players’ MVP Votes: Results
An anonymous survey of 159 NBA players, conducted by The Athletic, asked who they think should win this season’s MVP. Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finished first with 39% of the votes, while Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic — a three-time winner — came in second with 21.4%.
Three players shared third place at 8.2% each: Jaylen Brown (Boston Celtics), Cade Cunningham (Detroit Pistons) and Luka Doncic (Los Angeles Lakers). Victor Wembanyama, once widely viewed as a frontrunner, received just 5% and placed sixth. The rest of the top ten rounded out as follows:
1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder) — 39%
2. Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets) — 21.4%
3-5. Jaylen Brown (Boston Celtics) — 8.2%
3-5. Cade Cunningham (Detroit Pistons) — 8.2%
3-5. Luka Doncic (Los Angeles Lakers) — 8.2%
6. Victor Wembanyama (San Antonio Spurs) — 5%
7-8. Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves) — 3.1%
7-8. Kawhi Leonard (Los Angeles Clippers) — 3.1%
9. Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks) — 1.3%
Surprises and takeaways
The biggest takeaway is how strongly players backed Shai this season — a clear lead rather than a tight race. Jokic still commands respect from peers, but he didn’t come close to matching Shai’s share of votes. The three-way tie for third shows that several stars are getting similar recognition, rather than a single clear challenger behind the top two.
Victor Wembanyama’s lower placement is notable given the preseason chatter about him as a favorite. That drop could reflect how players weigh team success, individual impact, or just how the season unfolded in their view. And seeing veterans like Giannis and Kawhi appear lower on the list reminds us that player sentiment can be different from media rankings or public expectations.
In short, this anonymous poll gives a snapshot of what current players think right now: Shai is the favorite, Jokic remains a major presence, and the rest of the field is more split than you might expect.
