NBA MVP: Nikola Jokić, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Victor Wembanyama, Luka Dončić forging an all-time race

As the NBA regular season winds down, the race for MVP, which seemingly intensifies every night, might be the best ever. It's not simply due to overwhelming statistics — although that does play a significant part — but rather the uniqueness of the four candidates, who differ greatly in skill set, approach and resume. Let’s break down the favorites: Nikola Jokić, Denver Nuggets Simply put, Jokić remains the best player in all of basketball, a player utterly unrivaled in IQ, court vision and creativity.

The only argument against the 7-foot Serbian is how his team went through a considerable dry spell, losing seven of 11 games in February while playing an underwhelming collective brand of basketball. That said, the Nuggets are currently on a seven-game winning streak and look almost as cohesive as when they won the title in 2023. This is all quarterbacked by Jokić, who collects triple-doubles entirely within the fabric of the offense.

This isn't some Russell Westbrook situation, where his teammates are clearing out to have him achieve the line, nor is he stat-pumping. Jokić's numbers, as impressive as they are, fall short of fully encapsulating his worth to the Nuggets and just how impactful he is every single night. Offensively speaking, Jokić might be the most unique big man of all time, currently dominating in the middle of his prime on a team fast approaching 50 wins.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder It's no surprise the defending MVP is back in the conversation this year. Gilgeous-Alexander is slowly, but surely, turning into the Michael Jordan of this generation in terms of how he plays, how he scores and how he competes on both ends. Only 4.