Nikola Jokic is a distant second in the early data, with 3 first-place votes, 4 second-place votes, and 6 third-place votes. Victor Wembanyama sits behind with 1 first-place vote, 5 second-place votes, and 6 third-place votes. Those three names dominate the early discussion, leaving other players with smaller share of the voting.
Other players receiving secondary votes include Jaylen Brown, Luka Doncic, and Kawhi Leonard. Notably, Doncic is currently not eligible for MVP or All-NBA votes due to meeting only 64 of the 65-game minimum, though an appeal from his team could affect that status and late-stage voting.
Throughout the season, narratives around Wembanyama and Doncic kept pace with Gilgeous-Alexander as the conversation intensified, but the initial voting pattern strongly favors Shai as the top first-place option among those who have publicly revealed ballots.
If Gilgeous-Alexander were to win the regular-season MVP and also claim Finals MVP in a Thunder title run, he would join a small, historic group alongside LeBron James and Michael Jordan. The postseason looms large for Shai, with the arena of playoff success likely to influence perception of his Hall of Fame legacy at just 27 years old.
