"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"
"And for the third straight time, Gilgeous-Alexander (57 first-place votes, 865 total points) holds a clear but narrow lead over Jokic (42 first-place votes, 822 total points) and 13 other stars who received at least one vote in the poll conducted Monday and Tuesday. You can jump to the full voting breakdown here. But first, let's examine the top-five selections -- Gilgeous-Alexander, Jokic, Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic, Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham and New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson"
Nearly two months into the NBA season, unexpected playoff contenders, franchise drama and impactful rookies have emerged. The 2025-26 MVP straw poll of 100 media members again places Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic atop the standings. Gilgeous-Alexander holds a narrow lead with 57 first-place votes and 865 points to Jokic's 42 first-place votes and 822 points, while 13 other players received votes. The poll highlights the top-five contenders: Gilgeous-Alexander, Jokic, Luka Doncic, Cade Cunningham and Jalen Brunson. The New York Knicks' NBA Cup win and other team storylines could influence postseason positioning and MVP narratives.
Read at ESPN.com
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