2026 NBA MVP Odds: Nikola Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Lead Favorites
The shortest odds to win NBA MVP for the 2025-26 season belong to three-time MVP Nikola Jokic, followed by 2025 MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
The shortest odds to win NBA MVP for the 2025-26 season belong to three-time MVP Nikola Jokic, followed by 2025 MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
While there are clear early favorites to win both NBA Rookie of the Year (LINK) and the Finals in 2026, the MVP race looks wide-open, even if it once again comes down to voters making a choice between Nikola Jokic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
2026 Opening NBA MVP Odds
Below is a look at how DraftKings, FanDuel, bet365 and BetMGM rank the top contenders for this award as of June 28, 2025.
DK FD bet365 BetMGM Nikola Jokic +200 +220 +210 +225 Shai Gilgeous-Alexander +250 +260 +250 +280 Giannis Antetokounmpo +700 +1000 +800 +1000 Luka Doncic +800 +750 +750 +700 Anthony Edwards +1000 +1300 +1200 +1400 Victor Wembanyama +1600 +1300 +1400 +1300 Cade Cunningham +3000 +5500 +4000 +4000 Jalen Brunson +3500 +3000 +3300 +3000 Joel Embiid +7000 +8500 +7500 +6600 Kevin Durant +8000 +8500 +7500 +8000 Donovan Mitchell +8000 +3900 +5000 +5000 Paolo Banchero +8000 +5500 +7500 +5000 Jaylen Brown +10000 +8500 +10000 +6600 Anthony Davis +10000 +7000 +7500 +6600 Ja Morant +12000 +15000 +12500 +15000 Stephen Curry +15000 +5500 +7500 +6600
2026 NBA MVP: Jokic Or Gilgeous-Alexander?
Jokic (2021, 2022 and 2024) and SGA (2025) have not only won MVP in four of the last five seasons, but they also were the top two vote-getters in each of the last two seasons.
Jokic has now finished five straight seasons as either the MVP or the runner-up, while SGA is seeking his third straight season as at least a top-two finisher in MVP voting.
Gilgeous-Alexander is coming off a huge regular season individually (32.7 points, 6.4 assists and 5.0 rebounds per game), but the Thunder's 64-18 record was arguably the biggest reason why he beat Jokic for MVP.
Somehow, Denver's star center put up significantly better numbers in 2024-25 than he did in any of his three MVP campaigns. Jokic recorded career-high scoring (29.6 points per game) and passing (10.2 apg) numbers last year -- while also averaging 12.7 rebounds per game -- to lead the Nuggets to a 50-32 record.
This year's playoffs made it clear that A) yes, SGA was plenty deserving of every accolade he received but also B) there was no supporting cast in the league quite like OKC's.
That likely means that if Jokic comes even close to replicating his historic 2024-25 numbers in 2025-26, he'll secure his fourth MVP trophy.
Betting on Jokic does come with the risk that the 30-year-old declines a bit in Year 11, but he's nevertheless the best/safest 2026 MVP bet right now, especially at +225 at BetMGM.
Best 2026 MVP Longshot: Victor Wembanyama
Let's start with an honorable mention.
Luka Doncic, who just turned 26 in February, has a shot to lead the league in scoring in his first full season as a Laker. But at 8-to-1 or shorter, he's not the most tempting longshot on the board.
If we're looking only at players longer than 10-to-1, no one offers more upside than 21-year-old Spurs star Victor Wembanyama, assuming he's healthy.
Wemby lived up to the massive hype as a rookie in 2023-24, running away with Rookie of the Year honors and nearly making history as the first rookie to win Defensive Player of the Year.
He was also having an outstanding encore in 2024-25 before his season ended in February due to deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder.
Coming off a serious injury like that, his health this year is a legit question mark, but he has a real chance to put up MVP numbers if he can stay on the court.
The 7-foot-3 Wembanyama feels like a lock to win Defensive Player of The Year every season he's healthy, and he's on a different level offensively than your typical DPOY contender.
Wembanyama flashed a solid 3-point stroke as a rookie (32.5 percent from 3 on 5.5 3PA per game), but he quickly reached another gear as a shooter in Year 2, shooting 35 percent from deep on 8.8 3PA per game.
He also averaged 11 rebounds per game and shot nearly 59 percent on 2-pointers last year, with a remarkable effective field goal percentage of 55.9 on 18.6 field-goal attempts per game.
So, the question is not if -- but when -- Wembanyama becomes a fixture in the annual MVP conversation, and there's good reason to believe he could make that leap in 2025-26.
The NBA is currently full of young players with sky-high ceilings, but Wembanyama's is unlike anyone else's.
As long as San Antonio can 1) take a step forward and reach the playoffs in 2025-26 (which is admittedly no sure thing) and 2) keep Wembanyama healthy, he could absolutely be a factor in the MVP race.
With all this in mind, he's well worth a flier right now, especially at +1600 at DraftKings.
Newsweek may earn an affiliate commission if you sign up through the links in this article. See the sportsbook operator's terms and conditions for important details. Sports betting operators have no influence over newsroom coverage.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Chicago Tribune
26 minutes ago
- Chicago Tribune
Dave Parker dies at 74 — a month before the hard-hitting outfielder's Hall of Fame induction
PITTSBURGH — Dave Parker, a hard-hitting outfielder who was set to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame next month, has died, the Pittsburgh Pirates announced Saturday. He was 74. No further details about Parker's death were immediately available. The Pirates informed the crowd of his death just before the start of their game against the New York Mets and held a moment of silence. Nicknamed 'The Cobra,' the 6-foot-5 Parker made his major-league debut in 1973 and played 19 seasons, 11 for the Pirates. He was the National League MVP in 1978, won a World Series with the Pirates a year later and won another championship in 1989 with the Oakland Athletics. Parker won NL batting titles in 1977 and '78. He finished his career as a .290 hitter with 339 homers and 1,493 RBIs. He also played for the Cincinnati Reds, Milwaukee Brewers, California Angels and Toronto Blue Jays. Parker was elected to the Hall of Fame by a special committee in December. The induction ceremony in Cooperstown, N.Y., is set for July 27. Born on June 9, 1951, in Grenada, Miss., Parker grew up in Cincinnati and was a three-sport star at Courter Tech High School. After playing for the Pirates from 1973-83, he signed with his hometown Reds and spent four seasons with the team. In 1985 he led the NL with 125 RBIs and was second in MVP voting. Parker was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2012. He told reporters that he burst into tears upon learning of his selection to the Hall of Fame. 'Yeah, I cried,' Parker said after receiving the news. 'It only took a few minutes because I don't cry.' Parker homered for the A's in the 1989 World Series opener and took credit for helping the Bash Brothers, Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire, take the title with a four-game sweep of the San Francisco Giants. He was a seven-time All-Star and three-time Gold Glove right fielder. 'I was a five-tool player. I could do them all,' Parker said after his Hall selection. 'I never trotted to first base. I don't know if people noticed that, but I ran hard on every play.'
USA Today
29 minutes ago
- USA Today
Dave Parker, two-time World Series champ, dies one month before Hall of Fame induction
Dave Parker, who was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2013 and died at age 74, won two batting titles and two World Series during his career. Dave Parker, the two-time World Series winner and two-time batting champion whose dangerous exploits at the plate earned him the nickname Cobra, died Saturday after a long battle with Parkinson's disease, just one month before he was to be inducted into baseball's Hall of Fame. Parker, 74, was an imposing left-handed hitting threat on two power-packed championship teams, the 1979 'We Are Family' Pirates and the 1989 'Bash Brother' Oakland Athletics. He hit 339 home runs and won National League batting titles in 1977 (.338) and 1978 (.334) for the Pirates. Parker never earned more than 24.5% support in 15 years of Hall of Fame voting by the Baseball Writers' Association of America, well short of the 75% required. But he was named on 14 of 16 ballots in December voting by the Classic Baseball Era Committee and will be elected alongside fellow Pennsylvania legend Dick Allen next month. We are heartbroken to learn of the passing of Hall of Famer Dave Parker.A legendary Pirate, Parker spent 11 years in a Pirates uniform, winning 2 batting titles, an MVP award and a World Series Championship in Cobra was part of the inaugural Pirates Hall of Fame… But neither will be around to see it. Parker was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2013 and his prominence in the public eye diminished in the decade-plus since. 'I'm a battler,' Parker said in 2018. That was evidenced in his climb to the Hall of Fame, and while he won't be there for induction, he was able to celebrate last December, when his election was announced. 'I've been holding this speech in for 15 years,' Parker told MLB Network that night. Parker left such an impact that he's a member of both the Pirates' and Cincinnati Reds' halls of fame. He was the 1978 NL MVP, when he led the majors in both batting average (.334) and OPS (.979), slammed 30 homers and earned an NL-best 7.0 WAR. One year later, Parker banged out 193 hits and 20 home runs and, alongside Willie 'Pops' Stargell, helped lead the Pirates to their first World Series title since 1960. Parker had a dominant postseason performance, getting four hits in 12 at-bats of an NL Championship Series sweep of the Reds, and was 10-for-29 (.345) and drove in four runs in the Pirates epic seven-game triumph over the Baltimore Orioles. Parker left Pittsburgh for Cincinnati after the 1983 season but was still in his prime. He led the NL with 42 doubles and 125 RBIs in 1985 and earned All-Star nods in two of his four seasons with Cincinnati. In 1989, he was the oldest player on a brash, power-hitting Oakland A's team that featured beefed-up sluggers Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire. Parker hit 22 homers as the A's primary DH as he added a second championship to his portfolio. He made his seventh and final All-Star team one year later with Milwaukee.
Fox Sports
30 minutes ago
- Fox Sports
Dave Parker, Pirates legend and 2025 Hall of Fame electee, dies at 74
Dave Parker, a hard-hitting outfielder who was set to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame next month, has died, the Pittsburgh Pirates announced Saturday. He was 74. No further details about Parker's death were immediately available. The Pirates informed the crowd of his death just before the start of their game against the New York Mets and held a moment of silence. Nicknamed "the Cobra," the 6-foot-5 Parker made his major league debut in 1973 and played 19 seasons, 11 for the Pirates. He was the NL MVP in 1978, won a World Series with Pittsburgh a year later and then won another championship in 1989 with the Oakland Athletics. Parker won NL batting titles in 1977 and '78. He finished his career as a .290 hitter with 339 homers and 1,493 RBIs. He also played for Cincinnati, Milwaukee, the California Angels and Toronto. Parker was elected to the Hall of Fame by a special committee in December. The induction ceremony in Cooperstown, New York, is set for July 27. Born on June 9, 1951 in Grenada, Mississippi, Parker grew up in Cincinnati and was a three-sport star at Courter Tech High School. After playing for Pittsburgh from 1973-83, he signed with his hometown Reds and spent four seasons with the club. In 1985 he led the NL with 125 RBIs and was second in the MVP voting. Parker was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2012. He told reporters that he burst into tears upon learning of his selection to the Hall of Fame. "Yeah, I cried," Parker said after receiving the news. "It only took a few minutes, because I don't cry." Parker homered for the A's in the 1989 World Series opener and took credit for helping the Bash Brothers of Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire take the title with a four-game sweep of San Francisco. He was a seven-time All-Star and three-time Gold Glove right fielder. "I was a five-tool player. I could do them all," Parker said after his Hall selection. "I never trotted to first base. I don't know if people noticed that, but I ran hard on every play." Reporting by The Associated Press. recommended Get more from Major League Baseball Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more in this topic
