2025-26 NBA MVP Ladder, Race, Odds, power rankings, frontrunners including Nikola Jokic overtaking SGA
For the first time in the 2025-26 campaign, the narrative surrounding the Michael Jordan Trophy has shifted. After months of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder looking inevitable, the post-Christmas landscape has crowned a new—yet incredibly familiar—king of the mountain.
As of late December, Nikola Jokic has officially overtaken Gilgeous-Alexander in the MVP ladder and betting markets, reclaiming the pole position following a holiday performance that defied logic. While voter fatigue has long been the primary obstacle for the Denver Nuggets superstar, his Christmas Day masterpiece against the Minnesota Timberwolves rendered that argument obsolete. Jokic’s stat line—56 points, 16 rebounds, and 15 assists—was historic enough, but his 18-point explosion in overtime, breaking Stephen Curry’s previous extra-period record, forced oddsmakers and analysts to recalibrate the entire race.
Conversely, the door was left ajar by a rare stumble from Oklahoma City. The Thunder, who opened the season on a historic 24-1 tear, have hit their first patch of turbulence, dropping three recent contests to the San Antonio Spurs. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander remains brilliant, averaging over 32 points per game with elite efficiency, but the "best player on the best team" argument has lost a fraction of its armor. With the Thunder’s cushion in the standings shrinking and Denver surging behind Jokic’s offensive orchestration, the margin for error has vanished.
Behind the lead duo, the field is scrambling to keep pace. Luka Doncic holds firm at third, though the Mavericks’ inconsistency has prevented him from bridging the gap. Surprisingly, Detroit’s Cade Cunningham has entered the periphery of the conversation, rewarding the Pistons’ resurgence with stellar playmaking, while Victor Wembanyama looms as a dark horse, his defensive metrics anchoring the Spurs’ recent success against top-tier competition.
Heading into 2026, the race has transformed from a coronation for SGA into a heavyweight bout. Jokic has seized the momentum, proving once again that his ceiling is simply higher than anyone else’s, but with half the season remaining, Gilgeous-Alexander has ample time to strike back.
As of late December, Nikola Jokic has officially overtaken Gilgeous-Alexander in the MVP ladder and betting markets, reclaiming the pole position following a holiday performance that defied logic. While voter fatigue has long been the primary obstacle for the Denver Nuggets superstar, his Christmas Day masterpiece against the Minnesota Timberwolves rendered that argument obsolete. Jokic’s stat line—56 points, 16 rebounds, and 15 assists—was historic enough, but his 18-point explosion in overtime, breaking Stephen Curry’s previous extra-period record, forced oddsmakers and analysts to recalibrate the entire race.
Conversely, the door was left ajar by a rare stumble from Oklahoma City. The Thunder, who opened the season on a historic 24-1 tear, have hit their first patch of turbulence, dropping three recent contests to the San Antonio Spurs. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander remains brilliant, averaging over 32 points per game with elite efficiency, but the "best player on the best team" argument has lost a fraction of its armor. With the Thunder’s cushion in the standings shrinking and Denver surging behind Jokic’s offensive orchestration, the margin for error has vanished.
Behind the lead duo, the field is scrambling to keep pace. Luka Doncic holds firm at third, though the Mavericks’ inconsistency has prevented him from bridging the gap. Surprisingly, Detroit’s Cade Cunningham has entered the periphery of the conversation, rewarding the Pistons’ resurgence with stellar playmaking, while Victor Wembanyama looms as a dark horse, his defensive metrics anchoring the Spurs’ recent success against top-tier competition.
Heading into 2026, the race has transformed from a coronation for SGA into a heavyweight bout. Jokic has seized the momentum, proving once again that his ceiling is simply higher than anyone else’s, but with half the season remaining, Gilgeous-Alexander has ample time to strike back.
