The NBA MVP award is one of the most prestigious individual honors in basketball. Legends like LeBron James, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Jordan, and Wilt Chamberlain have all won the award multiple times after dominating the league.
This year, the MVP race is tight, with two names standing out: Nikola Jokić and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Both led their teams to the Western Conference semifinals, with the Oklahoma City Thunder advancing after a dramatic Game 7 win.
Now, fans are eagerly waiting to see who will take home the MVP award. But when exactly will the league reveal the winner?
When Will the NBA MVP Award Get Announced?
It’s been a while since the regular season ended, and the MVP trophy is still waiting for a home. Usually, the MVP is revealed between the first and second rounds of the playoffs. Last year, for example, the league announced the award during the second week of May when Jokić won his third MVP.
While there was a delay this year, the league is announcing the award tonight, May 21, at 7 p.m. ET on TNT.
The MVP is decided by a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters who rank their top five choices. First-place votes are worth 10 points, second place gets seven, and it goes down to one point for fifth.
The vote has been finalized since April 15, but with Gilgeous-Alexander and Jokić viewed as the frontrunners, it’s a bit surprising that the winner was not announced during their second-round matchup. Whatever the reasoning, the announcement was pushed back.
In 2022 and 2023, the NBA MVP was announced on May 2. Last year, it was announced on May 8. Now, we will finally find out the winner on May 21.
Voters had a tough decision this year — let’s go over the top candidates for the MVP award.
Frontrunners for This Year’s MVP Award
Here are the top names in the race:
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder
- Nikola Jokić, Denver Nuggets
- Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
- Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics
- LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers
Gilgeous-Alexander is viewed as the favorite to win the award, but keep in mind that his postseason run and win over Jokić’s Nuggets won’t help his chances since the voting took place back in April.
SGA averaged 32.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 6.4 assists this season and was the NBA’s scoring champion. His player efficiency rating (PER) of 30.7 ranks among the best in the league.
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But it’s far from a done deal. Jokić had another incredible season. The three-time MVP averaged 29.6 points, 12.7 rebounds, and 10.2 assists, becoming the first center in NBA history to average a triple-double across an entire season. His PER? An absurd 32.0.
There’s little to separate the two statistically. That means team performance could tip the scales—and that’s where SGA might win out. Oklahoma City had the best regular-season record in the league this season.
While the voting is expected to be tight, Gilgeous-Alexander appears to be the favorite to win his first MVP award.
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