NBA names MVP finalists SGA, Jokic, Wembanyama

The NBA has narrowed the 2025-26 Most Valuable Player race to three names: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder, Nikola Jokić of the Denver Nuggets and Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs. The league posted the finalists in its regular-season awards release updated late Friday, May 15, and said the winner would be revealed Sunday, May 17, on Prime Video at 7:30 p.m. (nba.com) ET. That timing matters because the award is being announced deep into the playoffs rather than at the end of the regular season. Published reports said the reveal is scheduled just before Cavaliers-Pistons Game 7 on Sunday night. (nba.com) This year’s field brings together the reigning MVP, a three-time former winner and a first-time finalist who has already won Defensive Player of the Year. It also matches the three players who, according to NBA.com’s final MVP Ladder, spent time at No. 1 during the season. (nba.com) ### Why is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander back in the final three? Shai Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 31.1 points, 6.6 assists and 4.3 rebounds in 68 games, according to ESPN’s finalist rundown, while NBA.com’s final MVP Ladder said he led Oklahoma City to 64 wins and the No. 1 seed in the West. (nba.com) He also won the league’s Clutch Player of the Year award this season. NBA.com’s Shaun Powell wrote on April 17 that Gilgeous-Alexander “made history” with 127 straight games scoring at least 20 points and called his season the strongest full-season case in the race. (nba.com) That is an analyst’s assessment, not the official vote count, but it helps explain why Gilgeous-Alexander entered the final stretch near the top of public ballots. ### What is Nikola Jokić’s case for a fourth MVP? Nikola Jokić finished the regular season averaging 27.7 points, 12.9 rebounds and 10.7 assists per game, ESPN reported. ESPN also said he became the first player to lead the NBA in rebounds and assists per game while averaging a triple-double for a second straight season. (espn.com) A fourth MVP would put Jokić in a smaller historical group of multiple-time winners. The NBA’s awards page identifies him as a finalist this year, and published reports have described him as chasing his fourth trophy after winning three previously. (nba.com) ### How serious is Victor Wembanyama’s candidacy? Victor Wembanyama averaged 25.0 points, 11.5 rebounds and 3.1 assists in 64 games, ESPN reported, and the NBA has already listed him as the winner of the 2025-26 Defensive Player of the Year award. (espn.com) ESPN said Wembanyama is the first player since Shaquille O’Neal in 2000 to average at least 25 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks. HoopsWire reported he would become the first French player to win the NBA’s MVP award if he is selected. (nba.com) ### When and where will the winner be announced? May 17 is the announced reveal date, and NBA.com said Prime Video will carry the MVP announcement at 7:30 p.m. ET. The league’s awards page describes MVP as the final major regular-season award still to be announced. (espn.com) Sunday night’s placement gives the award a live playoff-stage lead-in. HoopsWire said the announcement is set to come ahead of Cavaliers-Pistons Game 7, and NBA.com’s schedule language matches the same 7:30 p.m. ET window. (espn.com) ### What else has already been decided in the awards race? The NBA has already named Victor Wembanyama Defensive Player of the Year and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Clutch Player of the Year, according to the league’s 2025-26 awards page. The same page lists Cooper Flagg as Rookie of the Year, Nickeil Alexander-Walker as Most Improved Player and Keldon Johnson as Sixth Man of the Year. (nba.com) The next concrete step is Sunday’s 7:30 p.m. ET reveal on Prime Video, when one of Gilgeous-Alexander, Jokić or Wembanyama will be named the 2025-26 Kia NBA Most Valuable Player. (hoopswire.com) (nba.com)