NBA MVP Is A Competitive Race In 2026!

The Boston Celtics were supposed to have a gap year this year. With Jayson Tatum’s Achilles injury in late May last year, the team was supposed to be a bottom-feeder. Many believed they would be having the season the Indiana Pacers are having with Tyrese Haliburton out.

Boston, instead, is ranked second in the Eastern Conference at 38-19. For them, it truly is a team effort, but it would be criminal not to give Jaylen Brown a large chunk of the credit. He has been putting up career-high numbers in a year where he gets to be the lone star.

In 51 games, Brown is averaging 29 points, seven rebounds, and close to five assists. His performance on both sides of the ball has this team overachieving this year and real contender. If Tatum comes back, watch out.

Due to the team’s success and the elevation of his game, he deserves that fifth MVP spot.

4. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Next man up is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. He’s at a point in his career where it would be surprising if he weren’t in the MVP Race. His team is 45-14 and atop the Western Conference for the second straight year.

In 49 games, Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 31.4 points on 55.4% shooting. That type of efficiency is unprecedented, especially for a guard. His two-way play once again is the foundation for this team’s success.

The reason why SGA is not higher on this list is because of the games missed. He’s missed 10 total and has missed eight straight. Whether it is fair or not, the team has been playing well in his absence, so it’s hard to put him up higher.

Despite that, Gilgeous-Alexander firmly sits at fourth in my MVP list.

3. Nikola Jokic

It’s a similar vibe for Nikola Jokic. It would be shocking if he wasn’t in the MVP race at this point in his career. Much like SGA, he has missed double-digit games, and the team has done well in his absence.

The reason Jokic is ahead of Gilgeous-Alexander is the statistics. When you are averaging 29 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 10.5 assists on 58% shooting, that has to mean something. The raw numbers are too good to have him sit at fourth. That’s why I have him ahead of SGA despite having missed seven more games.

The numbers have gotten numb because Joker does this nightly. That, however, should not factor into MVP voting. The numbers are still insane, and he deserves to have a real shot at the award.

2. Victor Wembanyama

There’s nothing else much to say. Victor Wembanyama has been electric all year long. He is averaging 24 points and 11 rebounds on 50% shooting, along with three blocks per game.

The impact of Wemby’s game cannot just be described by the numbers. The eye test is really what has him in second place for the MVP race. His ability to deter any shot at the rim and have point guard-like skills on offense at 7’5 is unlike anything this league has ever seen.

There is no answer for the third-year man. The San Antonio Spurs sit at second in the West at 41-16 and have won nine in a row. They are just three games back of OKC, so the one seed is certainly in play.

The Spurs are also 4-1 against Oklahoma City. They have the champs’ number, and that vaunted Thunder defense does not know how to deal with Alien’s abilities.

The reason why Wembanyama is second and not first is that he missed 14 games.

1. Cade Cunningham

This one will come as a shock, but the man right now who deserves MVP is Cade Cunningham. He is averaging 25 points per game and 10 assists per game. The numbers are fine, but the team’s success is why he’s at the top.

The Detroit Pistons were a bad team just two years ago. They were the laughing stock of the league. All of a sudden, two years later, they are first in the East by a good margin, sitting at 42-14.

The kid has played fanatics in big games. The most recent being a game where he dropped 42 points and 13 rebounds in Madison Square Garden. When you have games like this in big spots, that’s what puts you in the driver’s seat for the NBA MVP.

On top of that, Cunningham has been the healthiest, missing only six games.

End Of My NBA MVP Rant

This is my MVP list as of right now. That, however, I could change because of the 65-game rule. Guys like Wemby, Gilgeous-Alexander, and Jokic are on the brink of missing that threshold.

That’s a rule I will get into later and speak on how much I dislike. In terms of MVP, these guys deserve it the most, and assuming health is premium, the list could certainly fluctuate.

The MVP race is wide open this year.