Anthony Edwards has been 1 of the NBA’s top performers in the clutch this season.
The NBA is at the veritable midpoint of this 2025-26 season, a natural time to round up the most likely suspects to capture the season’s awards. Not only is that a worthwhile exercise in itself, but it’s an opportunity to mention the legendary players associated with the trophies awarded for each.
To refresh memories, those great players are Michael Jordan (Kia Most Valuable Player), Wilt Chamberlain (Kia Rookie of the Year), Hakeem Olajuwon (Kia Defensive Player of the Year), John Havlicek (Kia Sixth Man of the Year), George Mikan (Kia Most Improved Player), and Jerry West (Kia Clutch Player of the Year). Can’t forget Red Auerbach, either, after whom the hardware for the season’s top coach is named.
Two notes: We’ll skip the MVP and Rookie of the Year fields here, because those are examined in detail each week of the season in the respective Kia MVP Ladder and Kia ROY Ladders. Also, we’re not focusing here on the 65-game minimum rule attached to these awards, because right now most of the possible winners still can hit that (just so no one’s total absences surpasses 17 games).
So here are the top midseason candidates for each of the five other major awards, listed alphabetically.
(Note: The * in each grouping indicates my vote so far.)
Kia Defensive Player of the Year
OKC's Chet Holmgren was Kia Defensive Player of the Month for December.
The stats for teams and individuals at “the other end” of the floor are starting to catch up, though it’s still more difficult to discern a single player’s overall proficiency when the top teams rely on the five-guys-on-a-string defense. That’s why big men and steals/deflections leaders often draw the most votes.
Rudy Gobert, Minnesota Timberwolves: The four-time DPOY winner, at 33, might seem to be done winning this award. Fifteen of the past 16 winners have been in their 20s, as have 31 of the 43 all-time winners. Critics point to Gobert’s struggles to guard in space … but how many 7-footers historically been asked to do that? His on/off numbers in Minnesota’s defense and coach Chris Finch’s sense of security when he’s guarding the rim again argue for him.
* Chet Holmgren, Oklahoma City Thunder: This is like the MVP reasoning that touts the “best player on the team with the best record.” In Holmgren’s case, he’s the most important defender on a Thunder team that dominates at that end. He is fourth in defensive rating (102.7) among players who have appeared in more than 30 games and foes shoot 7.1% worse when he’s the primary defender.
Evan Mobley, Cleveland Cavaliers: Eleven times the DPOY winner has won it again the following season. Mobley’s prospects for repeating might dip less from his individual stats (rebounds slightly down, blocks up a bit) and more from the Cavaliers’ fall from eighth in defensive efficiency last season to 14th in 2025-26.
Amen Thompson, Houston Rockets: There has been more focus on his offensive work this season, given the Rockets’ needs at the point guard spot. But an All-Defensive First Team berth last season is a good launching pad for DPOY aspirations. This Thompson has that wingspan and athletic ability of top perimeter defenders and ranks among the leaders in loose balls recovered (twin brother, Ausar, in Detroit is high on the deflections board).
Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs: Let’s face facts: If Wembanyama were to appear in at least 65 games each season, he could start building a big, beautiful trophy room for the likely Olajuwon and Jordan trophies that would follow. Nobody plants himself in shooters’ minds more than the Spurs’ franchise pterodactyl, even when he’s catching a breather over on the side. They’re shooting almost 10% worse this season when he’s in their vicinity, and that doesn’t account for the category of “shots not taken.”
Others: Bam Adebayo, Miami Heat; Scottie Barnes, Toronto Raptors; Ausar Thompson, Detroit Pistons.
Kia Sixth Man of the Year
Super-subs, instant offense, spark plugs, insurance policies — call them what you want. Still, the top reserves in the league have to be good enough to make a difference, yet not so good that they get promoted out of consideration for this honor. That’s their ambition, in most cases, but in recent seasons we’ve seen repeat winners make a career of their second-wave status.
Anthony Black, Orlando Magic: Black might be in danger of slipping off this list, having started 17 straight lately for the Magic. A Sixth Man winner must come off the bench in at least half of his appearances, so Black could technically still qualify at his current rate, but voters tend to favor the straight reserves. His bench scoring dips from 18.7 ppg to 12.8 ppg primarily due to minutes. But that dunk in Germany on Tuesday over four Grizzlies might linger when ballots get cast.
* Jaime Jaquez Jr., Miami Heat: The Heat’s headband-wearing forward has leaped in his third season without changing his reserve role. At 15.9 ppg on 53% shooting with 5.1 rpg and 4.6 apg, he has bounced back impressively from his dud 2024-25 season. He leads all bench players in scoring average, field goals and free throws made, ranks third in assists and is tied for seventh at a plus-140.
Ajay Mitchell, Oklahoma City Thunder: His role last season got squished by injury, and he averaged just seven minutes in the Thunder’s postseason parade. But the 6-foot-4 guard is up to 26.3 minutes and 13.8 ppg this season, and he and teammate Alex Caruso lead all reserves in plus/minus at +8.0.
Naz Reid, Minnesota Timberwolves: The 2024 winner is at it again. He’s started just once in 41 appearances while shooting better on 2-pointers and from the line. He’s averaging more points, rebounds and assists than when he won it two seasons ago.
Anfernee Simons, Boston Celtics: After starting 178 of 178 games his last three seasons in Portland, Simons hasn’t started once in 2025-26. But he’s averaging 14.1 ppg and making 40.5% of his 3s. The team is winning and the 39 he scored off the bench in Miami on Tuesday bumps his case higher.
Others: Quentin Grimes, Philadelphia 76ers; Keldon Johnson, San Antonio Spurs; Reed Sheppard, Houston Rockets.
Kia Most Improved Player
Deni Avdija's ability to score on 3 levels is just one reason he's in the midst of a breakout campaign for the Trail Blazers.
In a field of strong candidates, these five appear to have the strongest cases for the George Mikan Trophy. By season’s end, the competition might be so close that a tiebreaker could be in order – with the winner being the player who can share the most wisdom about just who Mikan was.
* Deni Avdija, Portland Trail Blazers: Fulfilling now the potential for which Washington drafted him No. 9 overall in 2020, the sturdy 6-foot-8 forward has boosted his scoring by 54% (26.1 ppg) and his free-throw attempts by 90% (9.9) while averaging just 18% more minutes.
Jalen Duren, Detroit Pistons: There’s a chicken-or-egg element to Duren’s heightened impact: has his scoring jumped (17.8 ppg from 11.8) because he’s shooting more (11 field goal attempts nightly from seven), or is he shooting more because the Pistons trust him and seek him out more often? Don’t forget his 4.1 offensive rebounds, tops in his four seasons.
Keyonte George, Utah Jazz: Both his scoring (23.7 ppg) and his efficiency have improved (he’s making 45% of his shots after two seasons at 39%). The Jazz guard already has 26 games of 20 points or more and 10 of 30 or more, after scoring at that clip only 20 times all of last season.
Jalen Johnson, Atlanta Hawks: Johnson’s current stats – 23.1 ppg, 10.1 rpg, 8.1 apg – might be less stunning had he been able to finish out and boost his production last season rather than having it clipped short by injury. He has already appeared in more games than he did last season (36).
Ryan Rollins, Milwaukee Bucks: Rollins’ case has much to do with his background before 2025-26: 5.1 ppg, 1.5 apg and 11.9 mpg across three franchises and three seasons. Now he’s at 16.2 ppg and 5.5 apg in 31.6 mpg for a Bucks team desperate for this level of help around Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Others: Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Atlanta Hawks; Anthony Black, Orlando Magic; Josh Giddey, Chicago Bulls.
Coach of the Year
Cade Cunningham and coach J.B. Bickerstaff may both be in line for awards once 2025-26 wraps up.
Sometimes it’s a staggering number of victories. More often, though, this award goes to a coach whose team exceeded expectations. Whose expectations? The coach? His players? His bosses? Nah, mostly expectations of media folks and fans in other markets. That’s not to argue there wasn’t quality work done, though. Boosting a team’s record by 10 or more victories is never an easy lift.
* J.B. Bickerstaff, Detroit Pistons: Since he didn’t win last season for tripling his team’s victory total from 2023-24 (14 to 44), that’s bonus credit for having the Pistons on pace for 61 this season.
Mitch Johnson, San Antonio Spurs: Gregg Popovich’s record in his last five-plus seasons: 145-229, .388. Johnson’s so far: 60-58, .508. All that with nary a blip in stepping into arguably the biggest shoes in NBA coaching history.
Joe Mazzulla, Boston Celtics: After three seasons of doing plenty with more (102-64), Mazzulla is showing he also can do more with less.
Jordan Ott, Phoenix Suns: The “exceeding expectations” champ thus far. The Suns subtracted big names Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal, yet are on pace to chase 50 victories one season after finishing 10 games below .500.
Erik Spoelstra, Miami Heat: Any voters looking for a lifetime-achievement choice and unwilling to wait for Springfield, Mass., to come calling can go with this guy. Spoelstra has 10 seasons’ worth of Top 10 finishes in Coach of the Year voting, but has never higher than second.
Others: Mark Daigneault, Oklahoma City Thunder; Darko Rajakovic, Toronto Raptors; Ime Udoka, Houston Rockets
Clutch Player of the Year
None of these awards is more stats-based, even though the player after whom the trophy is named, Jerry West, isn’t known for many notable numbers. His nickname, “Mr. Clutch,” came from his delivering in big moments and providing high-pressure heroics. This award is so new we can list all the winners (De’Aaron Fox in 2023, Steph Curry in ’24, Jalen Brunson last spring) and at least one is in position to win again.
Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons: Nearly 12% of Cunningham’s points this season have come in games within five points or fewer with five minutes or less to play. He’s second in total clutch points at 49.3% field-goal success, and Detroit is 14-7 when he’s running the tight games.
Steph Curry, Golden State Warriors: One of the league’s greatest shooters is plugging along below his career 3-point accuracy (38.9% vs. 42.2%). But in the clutch this season, he’s at 46.4%, and no one has taken (28) or made (13) more long balls this season.
Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves: The Wolves guard ranks only 55th in clutch minutes. But once there, he’s lights out: he makes 70% of his shots overall and 57% on 3-pointers. His team has gone from 20-26 in clutch games last season to 9-5 in the ones he’s played this season.
* Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder: Limited in opportunities on a team that regularly wins by 20, Gilgeous-Alexander still has managed to score the most clutch points this season (119) and leads in field goals (35) and, not surprisingly, in clutch free throws made and attempted (42 of 49).
Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers: Maxey’s increased value to the Sixers shows up in the clutch, too, where he ranks second in the NBA in minutes, third in points, first in shots taken, third in buckets, tied for first in assists and, get this, tied for seventh in blocked shots.
Others: Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns; Jalen Brunson, New York; Cooper Flagg, Dallas Mavericks.
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Steve Aschburner has written about the NBA since 1980. You can e-mail him here, find his archive here and follow him on X.
