NBA MVP 2026: Wemby, Jokic or Shai? Award announcement set for sunday before OKC-Spurs

The NBA has picked the perfect stage to unveil the winner of the Most Valuable Player award: Sunday night, just before the start of the Western Conference Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs. Unsurprisingly, the timing has sparked plenty of conversation around the league.

The three finalists are Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic, and Victor Wembanyama – three names that perfectly represent both the present and the future of the NBA. The announcement will air during Amazon Prime Video’s pregame coverage, with the basketball world’s attention focused squarely on Oklahoma City.

Is the timing a clue?

It’s hard not to wonder whether there’s something intentional behind the league’s scheduling choice. Last season, Gilgeous-Alexander received the award just days before the Western Conference Finals and officially lifted the trophy in front of the Thunder crowd. This year, the setup feels very similar: announcement Sunday, Game 1 Monday night in Oklahoma City. Coincidence? Maybe.

Shai, Jokic and Wembanyama: three different MVP stories

For Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, a win would mark his second straight MVP award, fully cementing his status as one of the defining faces of the modern NBA. His season once again reached superstar levels, leading the Thunder to the conference finals with elite production, consistency and leadership.

On the other side is the ever-present Nikola Jokic, looking to capture the fourth MVP trophy of his career. A feat achieved only by legends such as Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Adding his name even deeper into that exclusive club would further validate the Serbian star’s all-time greatness.

Then there’s the most fascinating storyline of all: Victor Wembanyama. The Spurs phenom could become the first French player ever to win the MVP award. After a sensational season, the San Antonio big man has already shown he can shift the balance of power across the league far sooner than anyone expected.

The NBA keeps getting more international

Whoever wins, it will mark the eighth consecutive season that the MVP trophy goes to a player born outside the United States. An international run that began with Giannis Antetokounmpo in 2019 and continued through Jokic, Joel Embiid and Gilgeous-Alexander.

Over the past several years, the NBA has become increasingly global. And this MVP race may be the clearest reflection of that evolution: Serbia, Canada, France, Greece, Cameroon. The league’s biggest stars now truly come from everywhere.

Now all that’s left is the final verdict. Oklahoma City is waiting, Denver is hoping, and San Antonio is dreaming of history. Sunday night will bring the answer.