Shai Gilgeous Alexander Tops Nikola Jokic MVP Poll

Merlin sees the early MVP picture as a two player duel. In ESPN's first 2025 26 straw poll of 100 media voters, Shai Gilgeous Alexander led with 57 first place votes and 865 points while Nikola Jokić had 42 first place votes and 822 points. The vote frames the race as Oklahoma City dominance versus Denver mastery on the stat sheet. Both players look sharper than a year ago. Jokić is on pace for another triple double at 29.6 points, 12.3 rebounds and 10.9 assists while shooting a career high from three. Shai is the catalyst for a Thunder team with 25 wins and 2 losses and a stunning net rating. Merlin knows a high school fan will see voters rewarding team success as much as box score magic.