NBA: Spurs' Victor Wembanyama named 1st-time MVP finalist

Third-year Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs has been named a first-time NBA Most Valuable Player finalist, joining Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder, the league announced Sunday.

The NBA revealed its MVP finalists, along with contenders for all major 2025–26 season awards, during the broadcast of the Orlando Magic versus Detroit Pistons playoff opener on NBC.

Wembanyama, who is also a finalist for Defensive Player of the Year, delivered a standout season with career highs of 25.0 points and 11.5 rebounds per game while leading the league with 3.1 blocks per contest. At 22 years old, he would become the youngest MVP in NBA history if he wins, narrowly surpassing Derrick Rose’s 2010–11 mark.

However, he faces strong competition from the league’s last two MVP winners. Gilgeous-Alexander, last season’s MVP, averaged 31.1 points, 6.6 assists, and 4.3 rebounds per game, while Jokic posted another dominant campaign with 27.7 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 10.7 assists per game in pursuit of his fourth career MVP award.

In the Defensive Player of the Year race, Wembanyama is joined by Detroit’s Ausar Thompson of the Detroit Pistons and Oklahoma City’s Chet Holmgren, also of the Thunder. Wembanyama is widely considered the frontrunner for the award.

The Rookie of the Year category features three of the top four picks from last year’s draft: Cooper Flagg of the Dallas Mavericks, VJ Edgecombe of the Philadelphia 76ers, and Kon Knueppel of the Charlotte Hornets. Flagg posted 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game, while Edgecombe averaged 16.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 4.2 assists. Knueppel added 18.5 points per game and led the league with 273 made three-pointers.

For Most Improved Player, the finalists are Nickeil Alexander-Walker of the Atlanta Hawks, Deni Avdija of the Portland Trail Blazers, and Jalen Duren of the Pistons. Alexander-Walker saw his scoring jump to 20.8 points per game, while Avdija reached a career-high 24.2 points. Duren also made a leap, averaging 19.5 points compared to 11.8 last season.

The Sixth Man of the Year finalists include Tim Hardaway Jr. of the Nuggets, Jaime Jaquez Jr. of the Miami Heat, and Keldon Johnson of the Spurs.

Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards of the Minnesota Timberwolves, Murray, and Gilgeous-Alexander are finalists for Clutch Player of the Year. All three would be first-time winners of the award, now in its fourth year.

Coach of the Year finalists include J.B. Bickerstaff of the Pistons, Mitch Johnson of the Spurs, and Joe Mazzulla of the Boston Celtics, with each representing teams that finished among the league’s top seeds.

The NBA will begin announcing award winners this week during playoff broadcasts, starting Monday with Defensive Player of the Year, followed by Clutch Player of the Year on Tuesday, Sixth Man of the Year on Wednesday, and Most Improved Player on Friday.

NBA Award Finalists (2025–26 Season)

Most Valuable Player

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder)

Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets)

Victor Wembanyama (San Antonio Spurs)

Rookie of the Year

VJ Edgecombe (Philadelphia 76ers)

Cooper Flagg (Dallas Mavericks)

Kon Knueppel (Charlotte Hornets)

Defensive Player of the Year

Chet Holmgren (Oklahoma City Thunder)

Ausar Thompson (Detroit Pistons)

Victor Wembanyama (San Antonio Spurs)

Most Improved Player

Nickeil Alexander-Walker (Atlanta Hawks)

Deni Avdija (Portland Trail Blazers)

Jalen Duren (Detroit Pistons)

Sixth Man of the Year

Tim Hardaway Jr. (Denver Nuggets)

Jaime Jaquez Jr. (Miami Heat)

Keldon Johnson (San Antonio Spurs)

Clutch Player of the Year

Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves)

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder)

Jamal Murray (Denver Nuggets)

Coach of the Year

J.B. Bickerstaff (Detroit Pistons)

Mitch Johnson (San Antonio Spurs)

Joe Mazzulla (Boston Celtics)

— Field Level Media/Reuters