Last season, Nikola Jokic finished second in MVP voting and made history. He became the first player after Larry Bird to finish second in MVP voting in five consecutive seasons. During that period, Bird won three MVPs, and Jokic won three as well. According to a new survey by ESPN, which includes coaches, insiders, and executives, the Joker is the frontrunner to win the MVP award for the 2025-26 season.
Nikola Jokic is an Early Favorite to Make History Next Season
If Jokic wins the MVP award next season, he will become only the second player, after Bill Russell, to finish top two in MVP voting for six consecutive seasons. Like the legendary Boston Celtics center, the Joker will have won four during that six-year span as well. Even if he doesn’t win it and finishes second, he will still make history. Bird stopped his top-two streak at five seasons. LeBron James has won four MVP awards in five years, but he finished third in one season.
Going back to the ESPN survey, out of 20 participants, seven picked Jokic to win the regular-season MVP award. Five voted for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and four voted for Luka Doncic.
Can the Joker Grab another MVP?
The Denver Nuggets won 50 games last season. Yes, Jokic had his best statistical campaign, averaging a triple-double alongside 29.6 points. However, the Oklahoma City Thunder won 68 games, and that gap was too large to ignore. Winning the first MVP is often easier than the second. Voters want to see huge improvements for the second MVP award. The Thunder would either have to win 70 games, or SGA would have to have an even better season.
Jokic has the narrative on his side. The Nuggets improved their roster this offseason. With the new additions, there is no reason for them not to win 60 games. If they do that, they will break the franchise record (not counting ABA years). The Nuggets haven’t won more than 57 games during their time in the NBA. They won 60 and 65 games during their time in the ABA league. Winning 60 games, which would also mean grabbing the second seed in the West, should be enough to bring Jokic back on the MVP throne.
Vegas Favors SGA
While the ESPN survey puts Jokic as the early favorite to win the regular-season MVP award, betting websites favor SGA. According to FanDuel, Gilgeous-Alexander is the favorite at +150, followed by Jokic at +350 and Doncic at +380.
Doncic would be a dark-horse candidate for the award next season. Coming back from a strong showing at EuroBasket, Luka might try to prove he belongs in the MVP conversation. The last time he had a strong competition with the national team, he came back for the 2023-24 season as a new man. That season, he finished third in MVP voting but won the scoring title. Doncic is in the best shape of his life, and if he guides the Los Angeles Lakers to a second or third seed in the Western Conference, he can surprise everyone and win the award.
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