The NBA’s Most Valuable Player race for this season already looks like it’ll be a two-man race, according to Zach Harper of The Athletic, who points to the current betting odds as evidence.
BetOnline.ag currently lists Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as the frontrunner at -400, followed relatively closely by Nuggets center Nikola Jokic at +250. After those two, Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Bucks is all the way down at +4000, with Celtics forward Jayson Tatum at +5000.
Last season’s MVP Jokic and Gilgeous-Alexander were among the three finalists for the award in 2024 alongside Mavericks guard Luka Doncic, who has already missed more than 17 games, taking him out of the running due to the 65-game rule. 2023 MVP Joel Embiid will also fall short of 65 games and has been eliminated from contention.
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- Tony Parker, the president of ASVEL Basket in France, said during an interview with RMC Sport (YouTube link) that he believes current ASVEL standout Theo Maledon will receive NBA offers in the offseason, as Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops relays. Maledon, who previously played 177 regular season NBA games for three teams from 2020-24, has averaged 18.0 points and 4.5 assists per game in 22 EuroLeague outings this season, posting a shooting line of .457/.387/.889.
- Within the same interview, Parker expressed interest in getting ASVEL involved in the NBA’s rumored foray into European basketball, Askounis notes. “When you see what the NBA is doing, they are very strong. Whether it is marketing or the new TV rights contract that will start next year,” Parker said. “We need to be associated with that. I want there to be NBA Europe and for us to be part of it.”
- Duke standout Cooper Flagg has solidified his place atop the 2025 NBA draft class with his recent play, according to Sam Vecenie of The Athletic, who says Flagg’s performance over the past month – 23.4 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 4.6 APG, and a .561/.500/.881 shooting line – is arguably the best stretch for a college freshman since Zion Williamson was a Blue Devil.
- Meanwhile, Jared Weiss of The Athletic checks in on some of 2026’s best prospects, including AJ Dybantsa and Cameron Boozer, who were taking part in the Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass. over the weekend. While Dybantsa wasn’t at his best during the event, Weiss says he spoke to multiple scouts who believe the 6’9″ wing could eventually become the NBA’s second-best player behind Victor Wembanyama.
Not even close right now. Shai is hands-down MVP at this point.
Jokic is having a better season than his MVP’s but SGA’s team is dominating with him.
It’s all about the word “valuable” – OKC’s supporting cast is way stronger than DEN’s, Den is a bottom 4 team without Joker, OKC is still top 8 without Shai.
Numbers-only: yeah, its Shai.
it’s the LEAGUE most valuable player, their value to their team isn’t relevant.
That is Maledon’s two-point percentage not field goal percentage listed in shooting splits.
Good catch, thanks. That’s been fixed.
The “valuable” part of MVP is always going to be subjective – some say it should go to a player who’s on a dominant team, others say a player who’s team would be nothing without them. There won’t ever be a consensus.
Putting that aside, and looking purely at production, it has to be Jokic. SGA is having an awesome season, but 30.1/13.2/9.9 on 56/47/80 shooting from Jokic is absurd.
Case in point why every league should have both a “MVP” and a “Best Player” award – the answer to who is which may differ between the two. Jokic’s play style has him be so much more of a key factor in his team’s success than most others are in most seasons that it’s hard to say he isn’t the player that means the most to their team. Best generally means the same, but I think it’s a more individual-specific consideration.