Which gamers will take residence some {hardware} for the NBA’s main awards this season?
Final season, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander turned the primary participant since LeBron James in 2015 to win Finals MVP and league MVP in the identical season. This season, it will be one other tight race to the highest of the awards checklist, not just for MVP however for different main awards as nicely.
Extremely-touted No. 1 decide Cooper Flagg is primed to take residence Rookie of the Yr. However in a proficient rookie class, he is certain to face some challengers, together with San Antonio Spurs’ Dylan Harper, who can take residence the award for the franchise for the third season in a row.
Plus, preserve your eye on the race for Defensive Participant of the Yr, as final season’s front-runner, Victor Wembanyama, returns to the courtroom after lacking the 65-game threshold for eligibility.
We requested our Summer time Forecast panel — a bunch of NBA specialists, together with reporters, editors and analysts — to rank its prime three decisions for the NBA’s six main awards, with a first-place vote receiving 5 factors, a second-place vote receiving three and a third-place vote receiving one.
Listed below are the outcomes:
Word: Our 2025-26 NBA Summer time Forecast continues Wednesday with win-loss predictions for the Jap and Western conferences. On Monday, we revealed our picks for the groups that may have the largest turnaround this season and the groups that may drop off and answered a number of the season’s greatest questions.
Who will win NBA MVP?
1. Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets: 83 factors
2. Luka Doncic, Los Angeles Lakers: 62 factors
3. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder: 46 factors
T4. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks/Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves: 9 factors
5. Kevin Durant, Houston Rockets: 8 factors
Both voter fatigue wears off rapidly, or voters had been very impressed by Nikola Jokic’s head-to-head battle with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander within the second spherical of the 2025 playoffs. The three-time MVP got here in as a heavy favourite to win for a fourth time in our preseason survey, virtually doubling the votes for SGA to repeat. Voters additionally appeared to be impressed by Luka Doncic’s offseason transformation because the svelte model of the Los Angeles Lakers level guard got here in second in early voting. Group success all the time performs a think about voting, which might be why SGA has slipped to 3rd right here. In different phrases, he already elevated the Thunder to a championship degree and was acknowledged because the MVP for doing it. However what if there’s even one other degree for him — and the youngest championship group in many years — to achieve? — Ramona Shelburne
Who will win NBA Rookie of the Yr?
1. Cooper Flagg, Dallas Mavericks: 121 factors
2. Dylan Harper, San Antonio Spurs: 38 factors
3. VJ Edgecombe, Philadelphia 76ers: 25 factors
4. Kon Knueppel, Charlotte Hornets: 18 factors
5. Ace Bailey, Utah Jazz: 16 factors
Unsurprisingly, Flagg ran away with the voting: He is the perfect prospect on this class, brings NBA-ready versatility and is getting into what is going to seemingly be an necessary function on a group with playoff hopes and veteran expertise. This award tends to be concerning the confluence of expertise and circumstance, and Flagg enters the league with an optimum mixture of each.
Harper and Edgecombe completed second and third, and each gamers may be extremely impactful as rookies. The query in each cases shall be how huge a job they will carve out of their respective crowded backcourts, and whether or not that results in a large enough platform to mount a case for Rookie of the Yr honors. On paper, Flagg has a serious leg up — for now. — Jeremy Woo
Who will win Defensive Participant of the Yr?
1. Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs: 95 factors
2. Evan Mobley, Cleveland Cavaliers: 31 factors
3. Chet Holmgren, Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder: 20 factors
4. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks: 16 factors
5. Rudy Gobert, Minnesota Timberwolves: 14 factors
Deep vein thrombosis in his proper shoulder primarily robbed Spurs phenom Victor Wembanyama of profitable his first NBA Defensive Participant of the Yr award final season as a result of the 21-year-old failed to fulfill the 65-game threshold for eligibility when he was shut down on Feb. 20. Regardless of enjoying in simply 46 video games final season, Wembanyama led the league in blocks (176) by a large margin over second-place finisher Brook Lopez (148 blocks). Plus, he averaged 1.1 steals for a Spurs protection that owned a defensive ranking of 115.4 with him on the ground (121.4 with out).
If Wembanyama performs in league-required 65 video games this season, it might be a shock if he did not snatch the award by a landslide forward of reigning DPOY Evan Mobley and different contenders corresponding to Chet Holmgren, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Rudy Gobert.
A one-time DPOY winner, Antetokounmpo completed eighth in award voting final season forward of four-time winner Rudy Gobert, who completed thirteenth. Regulate how Milwaukee’s offseason addition of Myles Turner may liberate Antetokounmpo to unleash havoc on opposing offenses.— Michael C. Wright
Who will win Sixth Man of the Yr?
1. Alex Caruso, Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder: 66 factors
2. Naz Reid, Minnesota Timberwolves: 52 factors
3. Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Atlanta Hawks: 39 factors
4. Payton Pritchard, Boston Celtics: 18 factors
5. Ty Jerome, Memphis Grizzlies: 17 factors
Will voters worth nuance over numbers? That must be the case for Alex Caruso to win this award this upcoming season.
This honor historically goes to a participant who offers on the spot offense off the bench. It has been three many years because the Sixth Man of the Yr averaged single digits in factors, which has occurred solely thrice within the historical past of the award. Caruso’s influence in his first season in Oklahoma Metropolis, significantly in the course of the playoffs, is indeniable. However he averaged solely 7.1 factors per sport in the course of the common season, when he acquired a single third-place vote to complete eighth in Sixth Man of the Yr balloting. A major scoring increase is unlikely for Caruso throughout his ninth NBA season as a job participant on a loaded Thunder roster.
The Thunder will proceed to rigorously handle Caruso’s minutes (a median of 19.3 in 54 video games final season), prioritizing the 31-year-old’s freshness for an additional possible deep playoff run and offering developmental alternatives for younger guards corresponding to Ajay Mitchell and Nikola Matter. However there’s precedent for dominant protection and contributing to a contender incomes this award, going again to the primary Sixth Man of the Yr, Philadelphia’s Bobby Jones in 1982-83.
The 65-game minimal would not apply to Sixth Man of the Yr, however a few gamers who completed excessive in ESPN’s balloting may not be eligible for this award. Final season’s winner, Payton Pritchard, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker are sturdy candidates to be starters this season. — Tim MacMahon
Who will win Most Improved Participant?
1. Amen Thompson, Houston Rockets: 59 factors
2. Andrew Nembhard, Indiana Pacers: 40 factors
3. Ausar Thompson, Detroit Pistons: 18 factors
4. Deni Avdija, Portland Path Blazers: 14 factors
5. Jalen Johnson, Atlanta Hawks: 14 factors
Amen Thompson was a runaway winner on this class, as he’s slated to play a major function for a Rockets group with excessive expectations in 2025-26. Thompson shall be getting into his third season within the NBA, having already taken a leap in Yr 2, and he hasn’t even been a full-time starter but. He has already established himself as an elite defensive participant, making the All-Defensive group and is at the moment the most effective on-ball defenders within the league. His offensive sport confirmed indicators of enchancment within the playoffs, with higher handles and a jumper as he upped his scoring averages because the sequence went on, giving the league a glimpse of what he can do on the opposite aspect of the ball. That ought to be elevated, contemplating Thompson shall be enjoying subsequent to Kevin Durant this season, a a lot better offensive centerpiece for Houston than it had final season. — Jamal Collier
Who will win Coach of the Yr?
1. Jamahl Mosley, Orlando Magic: 48 factors
2. Quin Snyder, Atlanta Hawks: 24 factors
3. Ime Udoka, Houston Rockets: 22 factors
4. Mike Brown, New York Knicks: 21 factors
5. Mitch Johnson, San Antonio Spurs: 16 factors
Jamahl Mosley was tasked with creating the Magic when he was employed in 2021, and he received a younger core to 2 straight playoff appearances. However now, Mosley has a roster constructed to make a run at profitable the injury-weakened East, and our panel is betting Mosley will captain a major leap ahead and take residence Coach of the Yr honors. Orlando is poised to win greater than 50 video games for the primary time since 2010-11 with the additions of Desmond Bane’s much-needed scoring and out of doors capturing, and Tyus Jones’ regular level guard play to enhance Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. Well being shall be important, particularly Jalen Suggs’ means to return from left knee surgical procedure. Southeast division rival Atlanta, one other group that made vital offseason strikes, is anticipated to contend within the East this season, with coach Quin Snyder at its helm. — Ohm Youngmisuk