2026 NBA MVP Odds: Nikola Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Lead Favorites

The NBA MVP race for the 2026 season appears wide open, despite early favorites existing for Rookie of the Year and the Finals. Voters are likely to choose between Nikola Jokic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (SGA) once again.

Jokic (MVP in 2021, 2022, 2024) and SGA (MVP in 2025) have won the award in four of the last five seasons. Furthermore, they finished as the top two vote-getters in each of the last two seasons. Jokic has been either MVP or runner-up for five consecutive seasons, while SGA is aiming for his third straight top-two finish.

Gilgeous-Alexander secured the 2025 MVP after an outstanding individual regular season (32.7 points, 6.4 assists, 5.0 rebounds per game), but the Thunder's impressive 64-18 record was a significant factor in his win over Jokic.

Despite not winning MVP in 2025, Jokic posted career-best numbers in scoring (29.6 ppg) and assists (10.2 apg), along with 12.7 rebounds per game, leading the Nuggets to a 50-32 record. These numbers surpassed his stats from any of his three MVP-winning seasons.

The 2025 playoffs demonstrated both that SGA was deserving of his MVP and that the Oklahoma City Thunder possessed an exceptional supporting cast unmatched in the league.

This context suggests that if Jokic comes close to replicating his historic 2024-25 performance in the 2025-26 season, he is likely to secure his fourth MVP award.

While betting on the 30-year-old Jokic carries some risk of decline in his 11th season, he is currently considered the best and safest bet for the 2026 MVP, particularly at the +225 odds offered by BetMGM.