Nearly two months into the NBA season, surprise playoff contenders have emerged, shocking franchise drama has unfolded and a new class of rookies has already made an impact. The top of the 2025-26 Most Valuable Player race, however, should look quite familiar. For the sixth consecutive edition of ESPN's NBA MVP straw poll -- a poll of 100 media members that mimics the league's postseason award balloting -- voting has resulted in Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic
Victor Wembanyama is one of the NBA's best players, but does he have a real chance to win his first MVP award this season after missing the past two weeks with a calf injury? The odds are against him -- he enters December at 150-1 to win the award on DraftKings Sportsbook -- but the San Antonio superstar shouldn't be counted out.