The NBA regular season is entering its final stretch with just 10 days left, and the race for the league’s MVP award will only draw more attention each passing day.
Several players have made strong cases throughout the year to unseat reigning MVP and Oklahoma City Thunder franchise player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, with late-season performances shaping how the race is viewed among fans and analysts heading into the playoffs.
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Among them, Victor Wembanyama has surged into the conversation following a dominant stretch with the San Antonio Spurs.
Since early February, San Antonio has won 27 of 29 games, pushing Wembanyama into the center of MVP discussions with the Spurs inching as close as possible to the Thunder in the standings.
“I have thought about it,” Wembanyama said about the MVP race on Mar. 23. “I think right now, there is a debate. There should be, even though I think I should lead the race. I’m trying to make sure that at the end of the season, there’s no debate.”
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Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) and head coach Mark Daigneault look on during the second quarter against the Dallas Mavericks at the American Airlines Center.Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
(Jerome Miron-Imagn Images)
However, the latest data suggests the race may not be as close as it appears. According to the latest ESPN straw poll published on Friday, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander remains firmly in front of Wembanyama.
“In a poll of 100 NBA media members conducted Monday through Wednesday, Gilgeous-Alexander leads our ballot with only 10 days left in the regular season,” Tim Bontemps wrote. “The 27-year-old guard’s clutch play has allowed the defending champions to overcome injuries throughout their rotation and remain a step ahead of the Spurs.”
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Gilgeous-Alexander received 88 first-place votes and totaled 958 points, finishing 300 points ahead of Wembanyama.
The Thunder guard has led five consecutive straw polls and continues to anchor a team with the league’s best record at 61-16 and as the only NBA team with 60-plus wins entering Friday.
Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 31.6 points, 4.4 rebounds and 6.5 assists in 33.5 minutes per game, while Wembanyama is at 24.7 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 3.1 blocks in 29.2 minutes.
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The Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic is in third, the Lakers’ Luka Doncic is in fourth, and the Celtics’ Jaylen Brown is in fifth place, rounding out the top five and sitting right behind Gilgeous-Alexander and Wembanyama.
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This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Apr 3, 2026, where it first appeared in the NBA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.