Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Won MVP, But NBA Scouts and Coaches Claim Nikola Jokic Remains the League’s Best

It’s that time of the year for ESPN’s annual NBA offseason survey, and the results are quite interesting. The survey covers a wide range of questions from MVP predictions to predicting the state of the league in five years. One of the most anticipated answers is who the NBA scouts and coaches believe is the best player in the NBA. Despite a historic 2024-25 season, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander didn’t receive a single vote.

After what Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was able to accomplish last year, many would assume he would earn a high level of respect across the league. The Oklahoma City Thunder superstar finished the season as the MVP and scoring champion, while winning the NBA Finals MVP en route to a championship.

It isn’t a secret that he is one of the league’s best players, but according to the survey, he has a long way to go to be the best.

Nikola Jokic received 19 out of 20 votes as the best player in the NBA. The other player who received a vote was Los Angeles Lakers superstar Luka Doncic. Gilgeous-Alexander’s absence for consideration came as a surprise. But the result seemed like common knowledge for NBA personnel.

“As long as [Nikola Jokic] is walking and breathing, it should be him,” one East executive said.

Jokic and Gilgeous-Alexander have been neck-and-neck in voting for a few years. In the 2023-24 season, SGA finished second in MVP voting behind Jokic. This past year, Gilgeous-Alexander was able to narrowly surpass the Serbian star for the league’s most recognized title. SGA’s averages of 32.7 points, 6.4 assists, and 5.0 rebounds were too much for voters to overlook.

However, the ESPN survey suggests that the 2025-26 season will be more likely to replicate the outcome in 2024 rather than 2025.

Jokic received 7 out of 20 votes to be the favorite to win the MVP in this upcoming season. Gilgeous-Alexander was just behind him with 5 votes. Luka Doncic earned 4 votes, while Victor Wembanyama had 2 votes in his favor. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Anthony Edwards joined the list, both receiving a single vote.

At least for Gilgeous-Alexander’s case, the race seems to be closer in that regard. Of course, this is simply just pulling straws. SGA most likely doesn’t even care about these results in the slightest. But it would do wonders for the Canadian guard’s legacy if he can win another MVP this season.

Shai will certainly have the team’s success to support his case, but he will have to take his game to another level. That may be difficult considering how great he was last year. Regardless of the results, these two stars are on pace for another intense battle this season.