NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) 2025-26 Season: Latest Power Rankings Has Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Well Ahead But Luka Doncic Gains Ground

As we head into the final round of games of the NBA cup, and ultimately into the holiday season, we now have 3 standout players who will likely end the season as the top three. But that doesn’t mean we can discount some stunning seasons from other contenders. In our latest MVP Power Rankings for the 2025-26 NBA Season, we see the ship stay steady, but there is movement between the top three.

The Oklahoma City Thunder and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander continue to scorch the league as they are off to a franchise-best 23-1 start. The juggernauts look unstoppable, and their franchise superstar is on a different level altogether. Gilgeous-Alexander continues to sit out fourth quarters, and when he is needed in close games, he has had no trouble scoring at will and deciding games on his own.

The Los Angeles Lakers and Denver Nuggets are having great seasons, but their achievements pale in comparison to a Thunder team that many are predicting will break the Golden State Warriors’ 73-9 record. Both Luka Doncic and Nikola Jokic are having incredible seasons and are perhaps the only legitimate threats to Gilgeous-Alexander securing the MVP award for a second season running.

In the East, the Detroit Pistons continue to hold their reign atop the standings, however, the New York Knicks are starting to close in. They are 13-1 at home, and the Mecca of basketball is looking like a fortress. It could be another repeat of last year’s playoffs, where both teams faced off in an incredible series. Both Jalen Brunson and Cade Cunningham have been massive factors for their teams’ success.

Tyrese Maxey continues to put up a season worthy of the record books and is carrying a Philadelphia 76ers team that simply lack the firepower they have possessed these last few years. Others continue to impress, too, so what do the latest NBA MVP power rankings for the 2025-26 season look like?

Who just missed out?

6. Jalen Brunson (Last Week’s Rank: 10th)

7. Austin Reaves (Last Week’s Rank: 5th)

8. Alperen Sengun: (Last Week’s Rank: 7th)

9. Donovan Mitchell (Last Week’s Rank: 8th)

10. Giannis Antetokounmpo: (Last Week’s Rank: 9th)

Sportskeeda NBA MVP Power Rankings 2025-26 Season: Latest Top 5 After Week 5

5. Tyrese Maxey

Previous Ranking: — 6th

PER: 23.40 | 60.2 TS% | Team record: 11-10 | 31.5 PPG, 7.2 APG, 4.7 RPG, 1.7 SPG, & 0.9 BPG

While Tyrese Maxey’s scoring has been, without a doubt, the most important factor for the Philadelphia 76ers, the sheer number of minutes he plays every game threatens to derail his campaign. He is the only player to play over 75% of his team’s minutes this season. In fact, he’s nearly played 82% of his team’s minutes this season. A workhorse.

There is a serious risk here but Maxey continues to dazzle despite apprehension. He is still in contention to chase down the scoring title and is also playing phenomenal defense. With Joel Embiid struggling to find his footing, there is a clear sign for the 76ers that Maxey must be the player they look ahead to. For his efforts, he continues to hold on to the fifth spot despite players like Jalen Brunson and Austin Reaves closing in.

One specific stat that backs his MVP case

Maxey is averaging nearly two steals and a block a game, all while chasing the scoring title and pouring in nearly 32 points a game.

4. Cade Cunningham

Previous Ranking: — 4th

PER: 22.23 | 56.2 TS% | Team record: 17-4 | 27.5 PPG, 9.3 APG, 6.4 RPG, 1.5 SPG, & 0.8 BPG

Cade Cunningham is still the Eastern Conference’s best player. Leading a Detroit team that is severely wounded from their deafening season from a few years ago. Heralding the ship with his co-captain Jalen Duren, the Pistons look formidable on defense.

Cunningham’s shooting has improved drastically over the last few games and for the season, he’s shooting 38% on 3s. He also remains the only other player aside from our top three to have a chance at winning MVP.

Despite being second in clutch scoring for the NBA Cup, the Pistons shockingly did not even make the quarterfinals. The Smooth Operator will be quite bummed about that and will certainly use it as fuel to motivate him for the playoffs.

One specific stat that backs his MVP case

Cade Cunningham’s averages in points are the highest for the Pistons in 24 years.

3. Nikola Jokic

Previous Ranking: — 2nd

PER: 35.42 | 71.9 TS% | Team record: 17-6 | 29.2 PPG, 11.0 APG, 12.3 RPG, 1.3 SPG, & 0.8 BPG

Nikola Jokic continues to average a triple-double for the season; however, the Joker has failed to pull a few aces in the last few of his. In his last 10 games, he’s averaged nearly 29-11-11, all the while shooting a ridiculous 43% from three-point land.

The Nuggets failed to reach the quarter-finals of the NBA Cup and it remains an accolade the Joker is yet to win. Jokic is still scoring and dominating at will. At the time of writing, he continues to average 41% from three, 61% from the field and 85.5% from the charity stripe. The absurdly efficient season continues.

Despite that, he has slipped to second on various oddsmakers’ books.

One specific stat that backs his MVP case

He has almost four times as many 25-point-10 assist games by a center as the person in second place, Wilt Chamberlain.

2. Luka Doncic

Previous Ranking: — 3rd

PER: 29.23 | 62.0 TS% | Team record: 17-6 | 35.0 PPG, 9.1 APG, 9.2 RPG, 1.5 SPG, & 0.6 BPG

There is every reason to actually put Luka Doncic on fourth place. He missed a key game in Toronto to attend the birth of his second daughter. And yet he travelled over 8000 miles in 72 hours to drop 31-15-10 over a gritty 76ers team.

Doncic is having his best year yet, and it looks as though the 2024 NBA scoring leader will look to retake his crown. In the game vs Philly, he passed Nikola Jokic for the most 30-point triple-doubles in NBA history, and perhaps that helped him catapult past the Joker in our MVP power rankings too. He might be averaging the most free-throw attempts by any player in NBA history but to his credit, he is also second in scoring without free throws.

The Lakers will face a hot San Antonio Spurs team, which could welcome back another MVP contender in Victor Wembanyama. Doncic will be relishing that matchup if it comes to fruition, as he is the league leader in finishing at the rim and has a flawless record vs Wemby.

One specific stat that backs his MVP case

Luka Doncic is scoring an otherworldly 93.5% of his field goals at the rim. Hyper-efficient.

1. Shai Gilgeous Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder

Previous Ranking: — 2nd

PER: 33.71 | 68.6 TS% | Team record: 23-1 | 32.8 PPG, 6.4 APG, 4.7 RPG, 1.4 SPG, & 0.7 BPG

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander continues to show us an incredible mastery of the game with 30-point games in as many minutes, in almost every game. The Oklahoma City Thunder are having a ridiculous season and the primary reason for that is SGA’s incredibly consistent play.

As of now, Gilgeous-Alexander is scoring the most points per minute since Wilt Chamberlain in 1962. The reigning MVP has also produced nine games where he scored 30 points in less than 30 minutes. It ties the NBA record set by Giannis Antetokounmpo and with only 24 games into the season, it’s a sure bet that he would most likely make that record his own.

He could also become the only player in NBA history to average 30 points per game while shooting higher than 55% from the floor and 40% from three. He also won the best Canadian athlete of the year award, but perhaps his attention will be on the NBA Cup. For now, though, he will hold on to the crown of our NBA MVP power rankings for the 2025-26 NBA Season.

One specific stat that backs his MVP case

SGA has 100 fourth-quarter points this season, which is good for the best record. He has also logged only 78 minutes in the fourth in this entire season, which is good for roughly 240th.