In the 2025-26 season, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander made history by recording 127 straight games with 20 or more points.
The top three finishers in the 2025-26 Kia Race to the MVP Ladder all spent time at No. 1 this season, which was both appropriate, necessary and reflected the top-end quality of the field.
Having them taste the top spot was the only way to show the proper respect — each earned that much. The MVP Ladder would not be dominated by a single player all season or by a significant margin, and the NBA was better for it. The epic performances shown by all three for much of the season, and especially in the final few weeks — sometimes against each other — proved they were sensitively aware, too, of the MVP buzz.
This Ladder was not unlike an Olympic 100-meter dash, where the gold and bronze medal winners are separated by a fraction of a second. In that sense, on any given week, the ranking order of the Ladder was instantly followed by a wave of disbelief among the cognoscenti — how can (insert name) be in (insert place) after the year he’s having?
But this was one of those years, quite the opposite of Stephen Curry going unchallenged in 2016.
So here’s the envelope, and the ranking order without punishment regarding awards eligibility in this, the final installment of the 2025-26 MVP Ladder:
1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder
Last week’s ranking: No. 1 ⬆️
Season stats: 31.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, 6.6 assists
His case: Right from opening night ’til the end, nobody played higher-level basketball without a dip. That explained Gilgeous-Alexander in 2025-26. Some players put together a historic game, a few splashier weeks, even a better month or two. But the entire season? From the get-go? There was Gilgeous-Alexander and then everyone else.
Here’s what he did: Establish a record consecutive game streak of 20 point games, drop points with historic efficiency, finish with a 30-point average good for No. 2 in the league, play solid defense, deliver in the clutch (when he didn’t put games away after three quarters), be a constant presence in the lineup, carry the Thunder during key injury absences and lead them to the league’s best record and No. 1 seed in the uber-competitive West (which offered a tough matchup nearly every night).
Whew. You can catch your breath now.
Gilgeous-Alexander accepted challenges on a nightly basis and toppled them, whether they were offered up by opposing stars or teams. Even better, he did so with few mistakes for such a ball-dominant player.
And the efficiency — simply nuts. To shoot 55.3% as a guard and average as many points as he did was exceptional. All told, Gilgeous-Alexander delivered masterfully, keeping his so-called poor performances to the barest of minimums on a club that won 64 games and ruled the conference. That’s an MVP.
2. Nikola Jokić, Denver Nuggets
The Association crew goes discusses the significance of Nikola Jokić clinching his 2nd straight triple-double season.
Last week’s ranking: No. 1 ⬆️
Season stats: 27.7 points, 12.9 rebounds, 10.7 assists
His case: Once again, Jokić did things either never before seen in basketball or rarely witnessed. That alone put him in a special class. He was such a performer that his feats were taken for granted by the basketball public. That should never be the case, for we may never see a season like this again, not from him or anyone else, for a while.
What a special player. Jokić averaged a triple-double and did so more spectacularly than last season, when he posted the feat. The reason this was a level-up was obvious: Jokić became the first player ever to lead the league in rebounding and assists in the same season. He missed 17 games and still led the league in total assists.
Aside from the rebounding and assists, Jokić finished eighth in scoring. Again, unprecedented stuff, and from a center at that. His only disadvantages: Missing almost a month with an injury and the Nuggets’ inability to challenge for the top seed, largely because of his injury and that of teammates.
3. Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs
Victor Wembanyama finishes with 40 points and 13 rebounds in a win over the Mavericks.
Last week’s ranking: No. 1 ⬇️
Season stats: 25 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.1 blocks
His case: Wembanyama announced his arrival as a serious MVP candidate by excelling at both ends, better than anyone in the league. This improved two-way ability and impact was the primary reason the 62-win Spurs were transformed into an instant championship threat. Their personnel remains largely unchanged from last season, a segment of which Wembanyama missed due to blood clotting.
This growth was astounding at times. Wembanyama was such a presence at the defensive rim that teams altered their approach, and only the bravest of players dared challenge him. Wembanyama led the league in blocked shots (3.1) … no one else averaged more than 1.7 bpg. There were games in which Wembanyama blocked more shots than the entire opposing team.
But offensively was where his MVP worth rose. This was apparent from opening night when he dropped 40 points vs. Dallas on Anthony Davis, a tremendous defender. He followed up just last week with back-to-back 41-pointers. Wembanyama became comfortable as a leading option. And he did this while playing less than 30 minutes a night.
All that was missing from Wembanyama’s season was a historic flavor that was evident with Gilgeous-Alexander and Jokić.
4. Luka Dončić, Los Angeles Lakers
Last week’s ranking: No. 1 ↔️
Season stats: 33.5 points, 7.7 rebounds, 8.3 assists
His case: As a scorer, Dončić had no peer, leading the league and by more than two points per game over the runner-up, Gilgeous-Alexander. In addition, Dončić went thermal a handful of times, mainly in a mad March with a 60, a 50 and five games of 40 points. That was a scorching run that nobody came close to matching, the kind of run that only a handful of players in NBA history are capable of assembling.
But, there’s more: Dončić once again was a guard with court vision and the ability to crash the boards. He nearly averaged a triple-double. Basically, the Lakers were a far better team with the ball in his hands, one way or another.
Dončić’s defense, a sore subject during most of his career, was upgraded this season. He gave more effort and, as a result, was no longer an easy target by surrendering as many points as he scored.
5. Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics
Last week’s ranking: No. 1 ↔️
Season stats: 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, 5.1 assists
His case: A player’s MVP campaign is very often built around the load he must carry. If so, it’s not wrong to suggest no one on the Ladder did more of that than Brown. He did wonders for the Celtics and, by extension, his reputation.
He owes this elevated season partly to GM Brad Stevens and Jayson Tatum’s injury. Last summer, Stevens jettisoned Jrue Holiday, one of the key pieces of the 2024 championship team, and bid farewell to Al Horford and Kristaps Porziņģis. Tatum spent this season rehabbing from Achilles surgery and didn’t return until last month. Therefore, the load on Brown mushroomed and the expectations for the Celtics lowered. The so-called “bridge year” never materialized, mostly because Brown wasn’t having it.
He delivered career numbers across the board, finished fourth in scoring, improved his ball-handling and embraced the lead singer role vacated by Tatum. Essentially, Brown played an entire season at the same level as he did for two weeks in the ’24 championship when he won NBA Finals MVP.
6. Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons
Last week’s ranking: No. 1 ⬆️
Season sats: 23.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, 9.9 assists
His case: Cunningham put the premium unleaded into the Pistons all season and was the leading factor in Detroit grabbing the top seed in the East. His leadership, combined with performance and a steady hand, was precisely what the Pistons needed to flex on the rest of the East and win 60 games.
Cunningham finished second in the league in assists, and his passing helped elevate his teammates while making the Pistons unpredictable offensively. Cunningham controlled the tempo and the flow while his scoring touch gave him solid balance.
7. Jalen Johnson, Atlanta Hawks
Last week’s ranking: No. 1 ↔️
Season stats: 22.5 points, 10.3 rebounds, 7.9 assists
His case: Johnson, at 24, morphed from a good player last season to a franchise player in 2025-26. This is the next-level leap that created a game-changer and made Johnson a fixture on the Ladder. That was especially true over the last few months, when the Hawks thrived.
He played his way into the MVP conversation with almost unmatched all-around ability — second to only Jokić in triple-doubles and third in double-doubles to Jokić and Karl-Anthony Towns. Johnson quickly established himself as the best player on the Hawks and made it easier for the organization to part with Trae Young at the trade deadline.
8. Kawhi Leonard, LA Clippers
Last week’s ranking: No. 1 ⬇️
Season stats: 27.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists
His case: This was the finest regular season ever by a future Hall of Famer and two-time Finals MVP. That’s it. That’s his case. Leonard put up the stats above while also shooting 50.5% overall and finished fourth in steals (1.9 spg). That put him in the finest group of elite two-way players. This was made possible by good health, finally, by a player too often victimized by massive gaps due to injuries in the past.
9. Kevin Durant, Houston Rockets
Last week’s ranking: No. 1 ⬆️
Season stats: 26 points, 5.5 rebounds, 4.8 assists
His case: At age 37, the former MVP looms as the only superstar of his generation on the Ladder. That’s not to suggest Stephen Curry, LeBron James and James Harden aren’t still producing, just not at the level of Durant this season. Even more impressive is how Durant, a top-15 scorer this season, joined another new team and instantly became that team’s most impactful player, even this late in his career.
10. Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves
Last week’s ranking: No. 1 ⬆️
Season stats: 28.8 points, 5 rebounds, 3.7 assists
His case: Edwards was once again extraordinary all-around for the Timberwolves and by far their best player. From an efficiency combined with output standpoint, his scoring was at an all-time high. This is someone who shot 48.9% overall and 39.9% on 3-pointers. It’s hard to find a volume shooter with those numbers. Plus, just from an overall impact and presence, Edwards was the best player on the floor most nights regardless of opponent. His only blemish was playing 61 games — fewer than anyone in the top 10 — and while he won’t be punished for that on the Ladder with omission, he gets a slap on the wrist.
And five more (listed alphabetically): Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks; Jalen Duren, Detroit Pistons; Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers; Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers; Jamal Murray, Denver Nuggets.
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Shaun Powell has covered the NBA since 1985. You can e-mail him at spowell@nba.com, find his archive here and follow him on X.
