The NBA MVP is one of the most coveted awards in the league and winning the honor seals the legacy of players forever.
The grouping at the top has been pretty consistent for the past few years, but you never know what will transpire over the course of the season. Remember, players must now log at least 65 games to be eligible for the trophy.
Here is the case for each of the following players to win MVP this season and the current betting odds for winning the award:
The 25-year-old superstar put the Dallas Mavericks on his back during their run to the NBA Finals. His playoff run was not him hitting his apex powers as a basketball player but the regular season showed the best of what Doncic has to offer. He led the league in points per game with a preposterous 33.9 figure on a career-best 61.7 true shooting percentage.
The difference for Doncic may be the more effective 3-point shooting. He’s always been willing to launch it from deep, but last year he sank a ridiculous 38.2 percent of his looks. Another year with that level of offensive effectiveness could vault him to the top of the rankings. But, like with many of the players on this list, the tiebreaker may come down to team success.
It’s hard to have a list of potential MVP favorites and not include the player that just won the award in three of the past four seasons. Jokic compiled advanced stats that blew the competition out of the water last year. He led the league in win shares, player efficiency rating, box plus/minus, value over replacement player, and in estimated RAPTOR. On top of all of that he shellacked the league with 26.2 points, 12.4 rebounds and 9 assists per game on a crisp 65 true shooting percentage.
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The stats are always out of this world for Jokic, but it was impressive to see him post those numbers after winning the NBA championship the year before. He helped the Nuggets to 57 wins (tied for the best in the Western Conference) and he’s proven that he should be in the mix every single season until he shows some sign of slippage. The narrative may be behind him if the Nuggets are able to integrate younger pieces into the team seamlessly after they chose to let Kentavious Caldwell-Pope walk to Orlando this summer.
Last year, Gilgeous-Alexander was the 2nd place finisher in the MVP race behind Jokic. The decision was much deserved as the young Canadian had the best season of his career with a smooth 30 points per game with efficient shooting boosted by his ability to get to the free throw line.
The betting market may be the only place that doesn’t view Gilgeous-Alexander as a top-two option, though. Tim Bontemps just released an article where an array of coaches, scouts and executives weighed in on who they thought would win the MVP for the 2024-25 season. Gilgeous-Alexander won the vote, even though the voters overwhelmingly said that Jokic was still the best player in the NBA.
The Thunder have a great shot at repeating as the top seed in the Western Conference, which should be a boon to the 26-year-old’s hopes of becoming the MVP.
The biggest impediment for Embiid may be the games played qualifier. He seemed destined to grab the crown again last year with some dizzying performances and an absurd 34.7 points per game. Injuries led to a tough finish to the season, but his talent is always on display. His ability to shoot the jumper and bully his way in the paint is stylistically unlike any other player in the NBA.
The addition of Paul George should make Philadelphia even more formidable. They had one of the best offseasons in the entire league, and it could help propel the big man to another trophy if he is able to stay on the court.
He kind of seems like a forgotten power, right? Giannis continues to dominate but the dysfunction of last season and his postseason injury seemed to resign him and the team to lower expectations. The betting market still views him favorably and for good reason. His defense is still elite and he placed in the top-five in nearly every advanced statistical category last season.
The team will have to figure out a more successful recipe on the court, but it all starts with Antetokounmpo. His durability and consistency should help Milwaukee stay atop the Eastern Conference, and allow him the chance to win his third MVP.
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