Key Takeaways
- The NBA will announce the 2025‑26 MVP on Sunday, May 18, during Amazon Prime Video’s pregame show (7:30 p.m. ET), the day before Game 1 of the Western Conference finals.
- The three finalists are reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous‑Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder), Victor Wembanyama (San Antonio Spurs), and Nikola Jokić (Denver Nuggets).
- Regardless of the outcome, this will mark the eighth straight season that an internationally born player captures the MVP award.
- The current international MVP streak began with Giannis Antetokounmpo (2019‑20), continued with Jokić (2021‑22), Joel Embiid (2023), Jokić again (2024), and Gilgeous‑Alexander (2025).
- A Wembanyama victory would make him the first French‑born MVP; a Jokić win would give him a fourth MVP, a feat achieved only by Kareem Abdul‑Jabbar, Michael Jordan, Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, and LeBron James.
- Historically, international players have earned 12 MVPs total, with earlier winners including Hakeem Olajuwon (1994), Steve Nash (2005‑06), and Dirk Nowitzki (2007).
- The timing of this year’s announcement mirrors last year’s reveal (Gilgeous‑Alexander was named MVP on May 21, 2025, and honored before Game 2 of the West finals), suggesting a possible nod to the Thunder guard.
- The MVP will be presented either before or during the Thunder‑Spurs series opener on Monday night.
The NBA’s MVP race for the 2025‑26 season has narrowed to three standout performers, each representing a different corner of the league’s growing international talent pool. Shai Gilgeous‑Alexander, the reigning MVP, continues to elevate the Oklahoma City Thunder with his elite scoring, playmaking, and defensive versatility. His ability to dominate games while maintaining efficiency has kept him in the conversation for a second consecutive award. Across the conference, Victor Wembanyama has burst onto the scene as a generational talent for the San Antonio Spurs. The 7‑foot‑4 French prospect combines rare shot‑blocking, perimeter shooting, and ball‑handling skills that have already begun to reshape what a big man can do in the modern NBA. Meanwhile, Nikola Jokić of the Denver Nuggets remains the epitome of the versatile center, showcasing an unparalleled passing vision, low‑post mastery, and a consistent ability to elevate his teammates’ performance.
If the award goes to Gilgeous‑Alexander, it would reinforce the narrative that the Thunder’s young star is not only a franchise cornerstone but also a legitimate MVP candidate for multiple seasons. His back‑to‑back candidacy would also underline the Thunder’s rapid ascent in the Western Conference, positioning them as a legitimate threat heading into the playoffs. A win for Wembanyama would be historic on several fronts: he would become the first French‑born player to capture the MVP, signaling the globalization of the league’s elite talent and validating the Spurs’ investment in a player whose skill set transcends traditional positional boundaries. Moreover, it would mark the first time a player so early in his career—just a sophomore season—has earned the honor, highlighting the accelerating pace at which top international prospects are making an impact.
Should Jokić secure a fourth MVP, he would join an exclusive club of legends who have achieved that milestone. Only Kareem Abdul‑Jabbar (six), Michael Jordan (five), Bill Russell (five), Wilt Chamberlain (four), and LeBron James (four) have previously won four or more MVPs. Jokić’s case rests on his unique blend of scoring, rebounding, and elite playmaking from the center position—a statistical profile that few in NBA history have matched. A fourth award would also cement his status as the most decorated international player in MVP history, surpassing the two‑time winners Antetokounmpo and Nash and the single‑time victors Olajuwon and Nowitzki.
The international MVP streak, now poised to reach eight consecutive seasons, underscores a broader shift in the league’s demographic composition. Beginning with Giannis Antetokounmpo’s back‑to‑back wins in 2019‑20, the trend has seen a Serbian (Jokić), a Cameroonian‑born naturalized American (Embiid), a Canadian (Gilgeous‑Alexander), and potentially a French player (Wembanyama) dominate the conversation. Prior to this run, international MVPs were rarer, with Olajuwon’s 1994 triumph, Nash’s back‑to‑back wins in 2005‑06, and Nowitzki’s 2007 accolade representing isolated spikes of global excellence. The current run suggests that the NBA’s talent pipeline has become truly worldwide, with scouting, development pathways, and league expansion fostering a more diverse pool of elite players.
The scheduling of this year’s announcement adds an intriguing layer of speculation. Last year, Gilgeous‑Alexander was revealed as the MVP on May 21, 2025, and received the trophy before Game 2 of the Western Conference finals in Oklahoma City. This year, the MVP will be unveiled on Sunday, May 18, during Amazon Prime Video’s pregame show, exactly one day before the Thunder host the Spurs in Game 1 of the West finals on Monday night. The mirrored timing—announcing the award on the eve of the conference finals—could be interpreted as a subtle hint that the league intends to honor Gilgeous‑Alexander again, thereby allowing a ceremonial presentation before the series opener. However, the NBA has historically kept the MVP selection process confidential until the official reveal, so any reading into the schedule remains speculative.
Regardless of who ultimately takes home the Maurice Podoloff Trophy, the 2025‑26 MVP race encapsulates the NBA’s evolving identity: a league where excellence is no longer confined to a single nation, where international stars routinely vie for the highest individual honor, and where the narrative of globalization continues to write new chapters in basketball history. Fans will tune in on Sunday evening to witness the culmination of a season defined by transcendent talent from across the globe, setting the stage for a compelling Western Conference showdown that begins just hours later.