San Antonio Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama hasn’t been shy about his MVP aspirations this season. In late March, the two-time All-Star sparked a debate in NBA circles by confidently advocating for his candidacy.
Although the 22-year-old has backed his words with his performances, it looks like his peers aren’t sold on the Wembanyama hype train just yet.
Why an Anonymous Player Poll Favors Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Over Victor Wembanyama in the 2026 MVP Race
“My goal is to make sure that there’s no debate anymore at the end of the season… My first one would be that defense is 50% of the game, and that is undervalued so far in your race because I believe I’m the most impactful player defensively in the league… ” Wembanyama confidently asserted on March 23.
However, according to the first set of results from The Athletic’s 2026 Anonymous NBA Player Poll published on April 10, Wembanyama finished outside of the top five.
While Wembanyama has undeniably put up historic defensive numbers, many of his peers tipped Gilgeous-Alexander to clinch a second consecutive MVP award.
Heading into the final days of the regular season, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 31.1 points, 6.6 assists, and 4.3 rebounds per game across 68 appearances for the Oklahoma City Thunder.
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“Shai has been super consistent. They’ve had injuries, and he’s stayed consistent. We take it for granted, (but) he scores at least 20 every night. He’s had a lot of his guys injured, and they’re still No. 1 in the West,” one player said.
“He’s the best player on the best team. What more do you have to say?” another player said.
Besides Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokić also holds sway in the minds of NBA players for the MVP race. The Denver Nuggets’ big man remains the ultimate measuring stick, averaging 27.8 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 10.9 assists per game on 56.9% shooting across 64 games.
“He’s [Jokić] probably the best player on the planet. He’s phenomenal,” one player said.
The players also picked Jaylen Brown and Luka Dončić, both of whom carried heavy burdens for their respective teams this season.
“In terms of what the team lost last year, to come in with the (low) expectations there were and to see the standings now, it’s because of him [Brown] and the level of play he’s been at,” a player said.
“I think what he’s [Dončić] done with the team that they have is really ridiculous,” another anonymous NBA player stated.
Meanwhile, before his Grade 2 left hamstring strain, Dončić had been a one-man wrecking crew, leading the entire league in scoring, averaging 33.5 points, 8.3 assists, and 7.7 rebounds across 64 games.
Despite doubts about a possible bias keeping Wembanyama out of the top tier, his production (25.0 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 3.1 blocks per game) and his importance to a 62-19 Spurs team could ultimately be the argument that swings the MVP decision in his favor.
