SGA Leads MVP Straw Poll

- In ESPN's second MVP straw poll of the season, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander received 78 first-place votes and 930 total points, significantly ahead of Nikola Jokic, who garnered 18 first-place votes and 720 points. Cade Cunningham and Victor Wembanyama were the only other players to receive first-place votes. - This marks the fourth consecutive time Gilgeous-Alexander has led ESPN's MVP straw poll, a first in the history of the poll. He was also the only player to be named on all 100 ballots submitted by the panel of media members. - The 65-game rule, implemented in the 2023-24 season, requires players to participate in at least 65 games, playing 20 minutes or more in each, to be eligible for major awards like MVP and All-NBA selections. This rule does not apply to Rookie of the Year or Sixth Man of the Year. - Nikola Jokic's MVP chances are seriously threatened by the 65-game rule; a knee injury forced him to miss 16 consecutive games, and he can only miss one more game this season to remain eligible for the award. - Victor Wembanyama has also missed 13 games, leaving him with a slim margin of only four more potential missed games to stay in MVP contention. - Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 31.8 points and 6.4 assists while shooting 55.4% from the field for the Western Conference-leading Oklahoma City Thunder. Jokic is averaging 28.5 points, 12.4 rebounds, and 10.6 assists. - The 65-game requirement has already made several stars ineligible for major awards in the past, including Luka Dončić, Damian Lillard, Anthony Davis, and Joel Embiid in the 2024-25 season. - The rule is tied to significant financial implications for players, as All-NBA selections can make them eligible for "supermax" contracts, which can be worth tens of millions of dollars more than standard max deals.