The MVP race is looking like a replay of last year: a two-man battle between Nikola Jokic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. There have been guys trying to jump up to the tier of Jokic and SGA: Victor Wembanyama in October, while Luka Doncic was missing games, and now Doncic in November, while Wembanyama is missing games. Neither is on the level of the top two.
Still, limiting the ladder to just Jokic and SGA would overlook players who remain staples in the race, as well as those having breakout seasons worthy of top-15 placement. Cade Cunningham has the Pistons atop the East. Giannis Antetokounmpo is, well… still Giannis. Jalen Johnson has kept the Hawks steady without Trae Young. Scottie Barnes has spearheaded Toronto’s surprising start.
This list will use both tiers and numbers. The tiers illustrate the separation between groups of players, while making it easy to move guys up or down within each tier depending on preference.
Tier One: The NBA MVP
No. 1 – Nikola Jokic: 28.7 ppg/12.6 rpg/11.1 apg
“He might be the best player in the history of the NBA,” Stan Van Gundy said on The Zach Lowe Show. That’s the level Jokic is operating at.
He should have four straight MVPs, losing only to Joel Embiid in 2023 due to voter fatigue. Last season was arguably the best of his career: he was top three in points, rebounds, and assists per game, and the first center ever to average a triple-double, nearly a 30-point triple-double at that.
SGA won the 2025 MVP instead, but this year might be even better for Jokic. Once again, he is averaging a triple-double; shooting 62.1% from the field (a higher percentage than Dereck Lively II, who mostly dunks), and hitting 43.0% from three-point range on 4.8 attempts per game.
Jokic is having arguably the greatest offensive season of all time, surpassing himself from last season. That being said, it is still close between him and SGA.
No. 2 – Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: 32.8 ppg/ 4.7 rpg/ 6.5 apg
This isn’t the typical “best player on the best team” MVP case. Gilgeous-Alexander is arguably the league’s best scorer and a high-level defender, something Jokic can’t say. He’s scoring nearly a point per minute, shooting 54.8% on 19.7 attempts, the highest FG% for any guard taking at least 11 shots per game (with more than four games played). He also owns the second-highest plus-minus in the league, behind Jalen Green, who has played only 30 minutes this season.
If the Thunder win 70 games, how can SGA not win MVP?
Tier Two: Three-Man Race?
No. 3 – Luka Doncic: 35.3 ppg/ 8.9 rpg/ 8.9 apg
Luka is trying his hardest to make the MVP a three-man race. In his first offseason after being traded, he has slimmed down and shown a glimpse of what the Lakers will look like post-LeBron. He is averaging the most points per game in the NBA, while the Lakers are second in the West. Doncic is beating Gilgeous-Alexander at his own game and is averaging the most free throws attempted per game.
There’s not much more he can do, but this is the story of Doncic’s career: any other year, he’d be the MVP. Doncic has had to deal with Jokic, Embiid, and now SGA taking his MVPs, and it seems like that will be the case this year.
Tier Three: Any Other Year
No. 4 – Cade Cunningham: 28.2 ppg/ 6.5 rpg/ 9.3 apg
The first American-born player on the list, Cade Cunningham, has completely transformed Detroit. Two years ago, the Pistons won 14 games; this season, they’ve already produced a 13-game win streak. He improves every year, and his scoring continues to climb. Cunningham is second in the league in assists, and Detroit owns the NBA’s second-best record.
He deserves real MVP consideration.
No. 5 – Giannis Antetokounmpo: 28.9 ppg/ 10.1 rpg/ 6.1 apg
Antetokounmpo is averaging 30 while being a first-team All-NBA defender. The problem is the Bucks aren’t a playoff team, which is probably due to Giannis missing six games. His two-way dominance is undeniable, but team success may hold him back… for now.
Trade rumors resurfaced this week, including reports of meetings with the Bucks’ front office. The news was ominously paired with Giannis straining his calf on Wednesday night, putting him at risk of missing more time, which Milwaukee, and Giannis, can ill afford.
Adam Schefter mentioned the Knicks as a potential landing spot. If Giannis ends up in New York before season’s end and leads them to the East’s top seed, a third MVP comes back into play.
No. 6 – Victor Wembanyama: 26.2 ppg/ 12.9 rpg/ 4.0 apg
Wembanyama opened the season with a 40-point, 15-rebound performance full of highlights. It might be too early to say he’s the best defender ever, but he is the best defender ever.
Before he got injured, Wembanyama was on pace to have more blocks than entire NBA teams. The Spurs even started the season 5-0 for the first time in franchise history. The problem for Wemby lies in his health. Players must play 65 games to be eligible for awards, and Wembanyama has already missed 8 of the 17 allowed. When healthy, he would be in the tier with Doncic, but sadly, he probably won’t be eligible.
Tier Four: Rest of Top-10
No. 7 – Alperen Sengun: 22.8 ppg/ 9.1 rpg/ 7.3 apg
Sengun is baby Jokic. He’s a great passer and offensive rebounder, while averaging over 20 points per game. Sengun is a better defender than Jokic, but still nowhere near him offensively. Houston sits third in the West with the league’s second-best net rating, and Sengun is the center of everything they do.
https://twitter.com/HoustonRockets/status/1995963965718102212?s=20
No. 8 – Tyrese Maxey: 32.5 ppg/ 4.8 rpg/ 7.5 apg
Maxey averages the most minutes in the NBA. That’s the argument. The 76ers cannot afford to have him off the court. He plays 40 minutes in a 48-minute game. Maxey is also third in the league in points per game and second in total points.
The 76ers are dealing with load management for Embiid and Paul George, but Maxey has been the one constant, and he’s the only reason this team has 10 wins.
No. 9 – Donovan Mitchell: 30.7 ppg/ 5.0 rpg/ 5.5 apg
Donovan Mitchell is averaging 30 points per game for the first time in his career. The six-time All-Star is having the best season of his career. He’s dropped 40 twice in his last four games. His problem, like many others on this list, is team success. The Cavaliers entered the season with high expectations, but injuries to Jarrett Allen and Darius Garland have pushed them down to seventh in the East. If Cleveland climbs into the top three, Mitchell rockets up the ladder.
No. 10 – Jaylen Brown: 29.0 ppg/ 6.0 rpg/ 4.8 apg
The Celtics and Pacers had very similar offseasons, dealing with Achilles tears to their best players. Boston also got rid of Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis. The Pacers currently have four wins, and the only reason the Celtics don’t share the same fate is because of Jaylen Brown.
Boston is eighth in the East, and Brown is having the best season of his career without Jayson Tatum. He has four 30-point games in his last five outings, including two 40-point nights and a triple-double in the one game he didn’t hit 30. Long seen as the league’s best No. 2 option, he’s thriving as a No. 1.
Tier Five: Recent Risers
No. 11 – Jalen Johnson 23.2 ppg/ 10 rpg/ 7.3 apg
Jalen Johnson is in Jokic efficiency and playmaking conversations, and he’s 11th. That just shows you how good the NBA has been this season. Johnson has had to become the number-one option for the Hawks since Trae Young got hurt, and they have an 11-6 record since.
Johnson has, of course, increased his scoring with Young out, but he’s also taken over as a facilitator, increasing his assists per game by two since last season.
Once Young comes back, his role will likely decrease, but until then, Johnson is one of the most valuable players in the NBA.
No. 12 – Anthony Edwards 29.8 ppg/ 4.5 rpg/ 3.9 apg
Calling Anthony Edwards a “recent riser” may seem disrespectful, since he was expected to be a top-10 MVP candidate entering this year. But he was injured early this season, and has dominated the second half of November.
Edwards has not scored under 30 points since Nov. 21. The Timberwolves are the No. 6 seed in the West and are on the second-longest win streak in the NBA. Edwards has reminded everyone he is a top scorer in this league and should rise into the next tier in due time.
No. 13 – Austin Reaves 28.1 ppg/ 5.7 rpg/ 6.6 apg
Along with Johnson, Austin Reaves should be in the MVP race and the Most Improved Player race. Reaves was a borderline top-30 player entering this season, but he showed that was just due to his role.
Reaves has increased his points per game by eight points from last season and is now in the top 10 in that category. He has played most of this season without LeBron James, but still as the second option behind Doncic. In games Doncic has missed, Reaves has scored 51 points, 41 points, and hit a game-winner.
Again, the problem with Reaves is that he’s behind Doncic, and if there was a Laker who was going to win MVP, it’s Luka.
No. 14 – Jalen Brunson 27.7 ppg/ 3.3 rpg/ 6.5 apg
Brunson is as dependable as it gets. If he doesn’t have 25, something’s wrong. He rises in the biggest moments; he’ll score six through three quarters and then drop 20 in the fourth.
Brunson is thriving under Mike Brown; he’s playing fewer minutes but scoring more. As the focal point of New York’s offense, he has 10 eyes on him at all times, and he still produces. The Knicks are fourth in the East because of him.
No. 15 – Scottie Barnes 20.3 ppg/ 7.9 rpg/ 5.0 apg
Scottie Barnes is shooting 41.6% from three. He was a sub-30% three-point shooter last season. The Raptors are the second seed in the East and had a nine-game win streak this season. Barnes has been their best player all season and has stepped up with the injury to RJ Barrett.
Barnes looks like an all-star this season and is the main reason the Raptors have the third-best record in the league.
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