NBA Awards: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Victor Wembanyama, Nikola Jokic named NBA MVP finalists

Reigning NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leads the list of finalists for this year’s Most Valuable Player award, alongside rising star Victor Wembanyama and three-time winner Nikola Jokic. The announcement was made on Sunday, setting up a strong contest among three of the league’s top performers.

For the eighth straight year, the NBA’s Most Valuable Player award will go to an international star, continuing a remarkable global trend in the league, reported AP. Gilgeous-Alexander is once again among the finalists, joined by Jokic of the Denver Nuggets and Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs, who is also in contention for Defensive Player of the Year.

The streak of international MVP winners began in 2019 and 2020 with Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks. Jokic, representing Serbia, followed with wins in 2021, 2022, and again in 2024. In 2023, Joel Embiid — born in Cameroon and later a US citizen - claimed the honor. Gilgeous-Alexander, a Canadian star, continued the run by winning the award last season.


This ongoing dominance highlights the NBA’s growing international influence, with elite talent emerging from across the globe and shaping the league’s biggest individual prize.

Gilgeous-Alexander enjoyed another outstanding season, averaging over 30 points per game while guiding the Oklahoma City Thunder to the best record in the league at 64-18 and the top seed in the Western Conference. His consistent scoring and leadership have made him a strong contender to retain the honor.


Wembanyama, representing the San Antonio Spurs, has been instrumental in ending the team’s playoff drought dating back to 2019. The 22-year-old averaged a career-best 25 points per game and led the league with 3.1 blocks, showcasing his two-way dominance.


Meanwhile, Jokic continued to make history with the Denver Nuggets, averaging 27.9 points, 12.8 rebounds, and 10.8 assists. He became the first player in NBA history to lead the league in both rebounds and assists in the same season while recording a triple-double average.

Wembanyama is also in contention for Defensive Player of the Year alongside Chet Holmgren and Ausar Thompson. Gilgeous-Alexander has also been shortlisted for Clutch Player of the Year after scoring 175 clutch-time points.


Notably, stars like Luka Doncic and Cade Cunningham missed out on MVP nominations, while Anthony Edwards remains in the Clutch Player race. Winners will be revealed during the playoffs.