SGA vs. Wemby NBA MVP Race Gets Big Update in ESPN Straw Poll Voting Ahead of Awards Season

With just over one week remaining in the NBA regular season, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is an overwhelming favorite to repeat as MVP in a poll of potential voters.

In the final MVP straw poll of the 2025-26 season conducted by ESPN's Tim Bontemps, Gilgeous-Alexander received 88 out of a possible 100 first-place votes and 958 total points to finish far ahead of Victor Wembanyama in second place.

NBA MVP Straw Poll Results Top Five (1st-Place Votes)

1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, PG, Oklahoma City Thunder: 958 total points (88)
2. Victor Wembanyama, PF, San Antonio Spurs: 644 total points (eight)
3. Nikola Jokić, C, Denver Nuggets: 500 total points (three)
4. Luka Dončić, PG, Los Angeles Lakers: 347 total points (zero)
5. Jaylen Brown, SF, Boston Celtics: 123 total points (one)

Wembanyama has been vocal about wanting to win the MVP award. He had a long exchange with The Athletic's Jared Weiss about his case after the San Antonio Spurs' March 23 win over the Miami Heat.

While there are certainly arguments in favor of Wembanyama, including his defensive impact and the best individual net rating (plus-17.4) among players with at least 60 appearances, it doesn't appear to be enough to push him over the top.

Gilgeous-Alexander ranks second in individual net rating (plus-15.3). His offensive efficiency is at a completely different level for a backcourt player. He has a .664 true shooting percentage that is right in line with Nikola Jokić (.673).

The Thunder superstar is averaging 31.6 points per game and shooting 55.1 percent overall. He is doing it for an Oklahoma City Thunder team that is on track to have the best record in the NBA yet again.

Gilgeous-Alexander and Wembanyama were the only two players named on all 100 ballots collected by Bontemps in the poll. Four players received at least one first-place vote, but Dončić was not among them because Jaylen Brown was able to get on the top line for one voter.

Amid all of the campaigning, Gilgeous-Alexander actually increased his lead from the previous Bontemps poll released on Feb. 20.

Gilgeous-Alexander had 78 first-place votes and 930 total points in that survey. Jokić was second with 18 first-place votes and 700 points.

Other key changes from the previous vote to this new one are the players no longer eligible for awards because they didn't hit the 65-game threshold. Cade Cunningham and Anthony Edwards won't be eligible.

Edwards did receive one fifth-place vote in the new straw poll, but it was taken before he sat out Thursday's game that marked his 18th absence of the season.

Since Bontemps began doing the straw poll during the 2016-17 season, the final poll has correctly predicted the actual MVP winner in each of the last five years.