Picture this: It is May 2026, and NBA commissioner Adam Silver walks on stage to announce the winner of the NBA’s MVP. 

Well … who is it? 

Would you say it’s 2025 MVP winner Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the current leader of the Kia MVP Ladder? Or maybe Nikola Jokić, who’s second on this list but clearly no stranger to the award, as he owns three of them. 

You could be like the many fans and respective committee members who might have voting fatigue and want someone new to win, like current third-placed Victor Wembanyama in just his third season or fourth-place Luka Dončić, who has yet to win the award even considering all of his astonishing scoring accomplishments. 

Or maybe, just maybe, your vote is irrevocably cast for Cade Cunningham, to which I’d say you’re just a Detroit Pistons fan. 

Many will continue to debate their frontrunners until the unveiling ceremony, but it’s kind of already set in stone. The committee chooses its winner an entire month prior, locking in its pick right about … now. 

I can’t sway anyone important into choosing any which way, but I can explain the reasoning behind my personal MVP ladder rankings and why I feel the committee will get it wrong. 

Fourth place

Starting off, who do I believe is the fourth-most-deserving player for the NBA MVP? This may shock you, but it’s Gilgeous-Alexander. 

“Woah, isn’t he first on the leaderboard?” you may ask, questioning my sanity. Yes, I know it seems like I’ve flipped your whole world upside down, but it’s true: Out of everyone on the list, he’s the fourth-most-justified player to be up for the award. 

To put it bluntly, Gilgeous-Alexander thinks he is who Dončić actually is. Despite having lacked on defense this season and racking up too many of his points from questionable free throws, his offensive ability is incredible and clearly the best on his team.

And though a consistent scorer, he’s most notable for having bad foul calls go in his favor. In his defense, however, only missing seven games and managing to lead his team back to No. 1 in the Western Conference is seriously impressive. 

Third place

Now knowing that my ranking differs greatly from that of the ladder, who is in third place? Although it’s not as exciting, it’s nonetheless true: Dončić is the third-best player in the running for the award.

Dončić’s scoring ability is second to none, as he’s truly the best offensive player in the league. Fun fact about the NBA: It has a Defensive Player of the Year award, but not an offensive award. 

Does that make the MVP a substitute for offensive player of the year? No! It’s supposed to represent the most valuable player on the court, and Dončić can’t be the most valuable when he is one of the biggest defensive liabilities in the NBA. Dončić deserves to win this award in the future, but I can’t, in good conscience, put him any higher.

Second place

Well, it’s time for my top two, and I think you may agree with them. Coming in at second place will be Jokić. 

A three-time winner of the award in question, Jokić continually proves himself as one of the greatest basketball players of all time. He’s an elite scorer and is almost always the biggest presence on the court, averaging almost exactly the same stats as 2 of his 3 MVP seasons. 

If that’s the case, why isn’t he the MVP? It’s simple: He doesn’t care enough about the game to take control of it. When it comes down to it, Jokić is simply working at a job he’s good at, not one he cares deeply about. He won’t dive out of bounds for a ball or track down a fastbreak; he’s lazy. I’m looking for a player that’s hungry, one who will do whatever it takes to win the game. 

First place

For that reason, Cunningham is my MVP pick for 2026. Who am I kidding? It is very clearly Wembanyama, the young stud from France. 

The so-called “Alien” has successfully led his team from losing over 60 games two years ago to winning over 60 games in 2026, placing his team in second place in the Western Conference. With that incredible feat, and “Wemby” winning Defensive Player of the Year, he’s a commanding leader on offense. He’s everything you’d want or need in a basketball player. 

Along with this, Wembanyama is the single-hungriest player the league has seen in years; he wants to win more than anybody else. He has brought a new sense of competitiveness that the sport has missed so dearly, and has raised the standard for what the most valuable player on a basketball court looks like. He has practically the same offensive season averages as Jokic, but almost doubles his defensive averages. 

In Gen Z terms, he simply framemogs every single athlete in the NBA. There is nobody more worthy of this award than Wembanyama.

But who do I think will actually win the award? Unfortunately, it will be Gilgeous-Alexander. When has Silver or the committee ever cared about versatile phenoms? Gilgeous-Alexander averaged the most points in the most games, so clearly he’s the most valuable player. 

However, if you agree with my ranking, I’m currently taking recommendations for the NBA committee, if you feel so inclined.  

Dylan Fonville is a journalism sophomore and sports writer for The Battalion.