ESPN recently conducted an informal poll among 100 media members to assess the current state of the NBA's MVP race. The poll, designed to mimic the NBA's postseason award voting process, asked participants to submit a five-player ballot. Using the league's scoring system, voters allocated 10 points for a first-place vote, 7 points for second place, 5 points for third, 3 points for fourth, and 1 point for fifth.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander emerged as the frontrunner, securing 70 out of 100 first-place votes and finishing second on the remaining 30 ballots. This impressive showing earned him a total of 910 out of a possible 1,000 points. Nikola Jokic followed closely behind in second place with 788 points, having led the first straw poll of the season. Meanwhile, Giannis Antetokounmpo secured third place with 430 points.
The poll highlighted the tight competition between Gilgeous-Alexander and Jokic, drawing parallels to the pandemic-shortened 2019-20 season when Antetokounmpo and LeBron James collectively garnered every first-place vote and all but two second-place selections. Jokic's consistent performance has kept him in the top three in voting for seven consecutive polls and in the top five since the 2020-21 season.
Gilgeous-Alexander has been instrumental in leading his team to the NBA's best record while also delivering outstanding individual performances. He currently leads the league in scoring with an average of 32.6 points per game. On the other hand, Jokic has propelled the Denver Nuggets into the upper-echelon of the Western Conference standings after a slow start. Since January 1st, the Nuggets have achieved a 17-6 record, second only to Oklahoma City's 16-4 mark.
Other notable mentions in the poll include Karl-Anthony Towns, who is averaging 24.3 points and a career-high 13.5 rebounds per game, earning his first All-Star start in his fifth appearance. Jalen Brunson, too, has made waves by securing his second consecutive All-Star spot with averages of 25.9 points and a career-best 7.5 assists per game.
Luka Doncic, another rising star, had previously finished third in the MVP race in 2024 before leading the Dallas Mavericks to an unexpected Finals run. Many anticipated that Doncic would be the next superstar to clinch his first MVP title.
Leave a Reply