The NBA will reveal this season’s Most Valuable Player on Sunday, just one day before Game 1 of the Western Conference finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs.
Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, reigning MVP, is among the three finalists for the award along with Spurs center Victor Wembanyama and Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokić. The announcement will air during Amazon Prime Video’s pregame show, which begins at 7:30 p.m. EDT.
No matter who wins, the MVP streak of international players will extend to eight consecutive seasons. That run began in 2019 with Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo, followed by Jokić’s back-to-back wins in 2021 and 2022, Joel Embiid in 2023, Jokić again in 2024, and Gilgeous-Alexander in 2025.
If Wembanyama wins, he would become the first French player to earn the award. Jokić, meanwhile, is seeking a fourth MVP, which would place him among the most decorated players in league history.
Historically, only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (six MVPs), Michael Jordan, Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain (four each), and LeBron James (four) have reached that mark.
The timing of the announcement has drawn attention, as it mirrors last season’s schedule, when Gilgeous-Alexander was revealed as MVP shortly before the Western Conference finals and formally received the trophy ahead of Game 2 in Oklahoma City.
This season’s award slate is nearly complete. Already announced winners include Victor Wembanyama (Defensive Player of the Year), Keldon Johnson (Sixth Man of the Year), Nickeil Alexander-Walker (Most Improved Player), Cooper Flagg (Rookie of the Year), and Brad Stevens (Executive of the Year), among others. The Coach of the Year and All-NBA selections have yet to be released.