Nikola Jokic Predicted to Win 2026 NBA MVP Award Over SGA, Luka, More by Insiders

Nikola Jokić has racked up three NBA MVP awards already, but some insiders think he's not done yet.

ESPN's Tim Bontemps polled NBA insiders on a handful of questions, including who will win this year's MVP. Jokić received the most votes with seven, followed by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander with five, Luka Dončić with four, Victor Wembanyama with two, Giannis Antetokounmpo with one and Anthony Edwards with one.

One scout from the West said that Jokić is "the best player" heading into the season, per Bontemps.

Jokić won back-to-back MVPs in 2021 and 2022 and won his most recent MVP after the 2023-24 campaign. Though he finished second in voting behind Gilgeous-Alexander last season, he made a strong case to win his fourth. The big man put up 29.6 points, 12.7 rebounds and 10.2 assists per game, all of which ranked inside the top three in the NBA.

Should Jokić take home his fourth MVP, he will join an elite group of players who have won four or more. Just five players have won four or more MVPs, and the group includes Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (6), Michael Jordan (5) and LeBron James (4).

But Jokić will have some fierce competition for the award. Gilgeous-Alexander, fresh off his first championship, is hoping to secure the award for a second time in a row, while players like Dončić, Wembanyama and Edwards are still gunning for their first MVP.