The NBA mandated that players must reach a 65-game minimum to qualify for end-of-season awards before the 2023-24 campaign. The league felt this change would lessen the impact of load management, specifically for star players. However, when many superstars miss time due to injury, the 65-game benchmark raises new questions.
The NBA’s 65-Game Rule Could Have a Major Effect on the 2025-26 MVP Race
Yahoo Sports’ Tom Haberstroh broke down five players’ pathways to qualify for the 2025-26 MVP. He examined the candidacy for Cade Cunningham, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luka Dončić, Victor Wembanyama, and Nikola Jokic. With less than two full months left in the regular season, only two of these superstars sit on pace to reach 65 contests- Cunningham and Gilgeous-Alexander.
Cunningham has only missed six games this season. The Detroit Pistons’ star missed three consecutive games from Nov. 12 to Nov. 17 due to a hip contusion, his longest absence of the campaign. Cunningham remains on pace to play 73 games. He averages 25.3 points, 9.8 assists, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.5 steals for the season. The No. 1 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft has led Detroit to a 42-14 record for the top spot in the Eastern Conference.
Out of all five candidates, Cunningham remains the only player who can afford to miss over six games and still qualify for the prestigious award. The 2026 MVP race might just come down to the healthiest player.
Gilgeous-Alexander won the 2024-25 MVP and led the Oklahoma City Thunder to its first championship since moving to Oklahoma City in 2007. He only missed two games this season before suffering an abdominal strain before the All-Star break. Gilgeous-Alexander now teeters at a 67-game pace and has not played since Feb. 3.
The Thunder announced their star guard will miss at least one more week on Feb. 19. His abdominal injury could prevent him from earning back-to-back MVPs. He puts up 31.8 points on a career-high 55.4% from the field, 6.4 assists, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.3 steals on the campaign.
Three Foreign MVP Candidates at Risk of Disqualification
Wembanyama and Jokić dealt with long-term absences that put their candidacies at risk, while Dončić has had several injuries limit his campaign. According to Haberstroh, if these three stars stay on their current pace, they will not be eligible for MVP.
Wembanyama suffered a left calf strain on Nov. 14 and did not play again until Dec. 13, missing 12 games. He played limited minutes for over a month until he got back to playing over 30 on Jan. 17. The San Antonio Spurs’ superstar only missed two games outside of recovering from his calf strain, but he has four games left before falling below 65.
Jokić has played at least 69 games in every season of his 11-year NBA career. However, he missed 16 games from Dec. 31 to Jan. 29 due to a hyperextended left knee with a bone bruise. It was the first major injury in Jokić’s career, but it could cost him dearly, as he can only miss one more contest to be award-eligible.
Dončic’s longest absence came before the All-Star break when he strained his hamstring. He missed four contests but has had several smaller injuries that put his candidacy at risk. The Los Angeles Lakers superstar only has five more missed games before he falls below the 65-game mark.
