Though fans and pundits may believe the 2026 NBA MVP race is as tight as it's been in years, players seem to feel the exact opposite. Based on recent findings, they view OKC Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as the clear favorite to take home the honor.
In a recent poll by The Athletic that saw 159 anonymous players partake in a Q&A, it was revealed that 39.0 percent of participants have SGA as their choice to take home the Michael Jordan Trophy.
The second-place Nikola Jokic is nearly 20.0 percentage points behind the Thunder cornerstone, with just 21.4 percent of the votes cast his way. Meanwhile, Spurs wunderkind Victor Wembanyama, who every media outlet has pegged as Shai's most threatening challenger, drew in just 5.0 percent of votes from his peers.
Thunder star seen as clear MVP choice among NBA peers
Frankly, while everyone else seems to be vocalizing their case for why they view themselves as worthy of being crowned MVP, Shai finds himself letting his play do all the talking.
As things currently stand, the point guard ranks second in the league's scoring department with 31.1 points per game while shooting an incredibly efficient 55.3 percent from the floor.
He's also averaging 6.6 assists, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.4 steals and has spearheaded the charge for the Thunder to place seventh in offensive rating (117.9) and first in both defensive rating (105.9) and winning percentage (.800).
Of course, what's arguably the most impressive takeaway from Gilgeous-Alexander's season is just how consistent he's been.
From his all-time 20-point streak to, just recently, surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar with the most consecutive games scoring 20 points on 50.0 percent shooting from the floor, it's no wonder that one of his supporters specifically highlighted the way he's managed to stay "super consistent," even with the club's widespread injuries, as a driving force in their backing of the 27-year-old.
As another backer said in the poll, “He’s the best player on the best team... What more do you have to say?”
It seems this sentiment is resonating both with players and accredited voters alike, for not only does The Athletic's findings have Gilgeous-Alexander as the favorite to win the award, but so, too, do the betting odds.
Should the Thunder superstar take home the hardware this year, he would officially become just the 14 player in the league's nearly 80-year existence to accomplish such a feat.