In the middle of February, the second ESPN NBA Most Valuable Player straw poll indicated Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander holding a comfortable, though not absolute, lead over Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic.

Six weeks later, the situation in the race remains practically unchanged.

If the results of our final straw poll are accurate—and they have been for each of the past five seasons—Gilgeous-Alexander is poised to receive his first MVP award. In a poll reflecting the league`s official voting, conducted over a 24-hour period on Sunday and Monday, Gilgeous-Alexander secured 77 out of 100 first-place votes.

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How the NBA MVP straw poll works

To assess the current MVP race, 100 media members were asked to participate in an informal poll mirroring the NBA postseason award voting process.

To ensure the balloting was as realistic as possible, at least two voters from each of the league`s 28 markets, along with a diverse group of national and international reporters, were included.

Similar to the NBA`s official end-of-season voting, voters were asked to submit a five-player ballot, and the results were tallied using the league`s scoring system:

• 10 points for a first-place vote
• 7 points for second place
• 5 points for third place
• 3 points for fourth place
• 1 point for fifth place

He was placed second on the remaining 23 ballots, accumulating 931 total points, while Jokic finished with 769. Following the previous poll in February, where these two stars received all but one first and second place vote, this final poll was a complete sweep—a first in the 19 straw polls conducted since the 2016-17 season.

This dominance at the top of the ballot aligns with the on-court performances of both players.

Gilgeous-Alexander is on track to win his first scoring title, averaging 32.9 points per game for a Thunder team that heads into Wednesday night`s game against the Detroit Pistons with a 63-12 record. OKC needs to win all remaining games to join the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls and the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors as the only teams in NBA history to achieve 70 or more wins in a regular season.

Meanwhile, Jokic is aiming to make history by becoming the third player to win four MVPs in a five-year period, following LeBron James (2008-12) and Bill Russell (1961-65).

Despite Gilgeous-Alexander`s lead, Jokic is making perhaps his strongest MVP case.

With career highs in points (29.7), assists (10.2), and 3-point percentage (41.6), along with 12.8 rebounds, Jokic has elevated a Nuggets roster, despite injuries, to the West`s No. 3 seed. Jokic is almost certain to finish in the top two in MVP voting for a fifth consecutive season, a feat not achieved since Larry Bird`s six consecutive seasons from 1981 to 1986.

Two different scouts mentioned they would vote for Jokic, but without strong conviction, mirroring the sentiment of many straw poll voters this week.

`I’d choose Jokic,` one scout stated. `[For] keeping that team competitive despite injuries and depth issues. The Thunder are strong across the board. There’s a reason they might win 70 games.`

`[Jokic] is producing statistical numbers rarely seen in NBA history. It`s reminiscent of Wilt Chamberlain.`

`Jokic,` said another scout. `It’s tough, because OKC is playing so well, and Shai is fantastic. But Jokic just keeps improving his game.`

Similar uncertainty was noted among media members polled, with several indicating they might change their minds, acknowledging there was still time for something extraordinary to sway the race toward the three-time MVP center.

For instance, achieving the third 60-point triple-double in NBA history—which Jokic did in Tuesday night`s double-overtime loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, scoring an NBA season-high 61 points and playing every minute of the second half and both overtimes. One voter even inquired about changing their pick as the game unfolded.

NBA 2024-25 MVP Straw Poll 3.0

PLAYER	TEAM	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	Total votes	Total Points
1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander	OKC	77	23	0	0	0	100	931
2. Nikola Jokic	DEN	23	77	0	0	0	100	769
3. Giannis Antetokounmpo	MIL	0	0	53	37	5	95	381
4. Jayson Tatum	BOS	0	0	41	51	5	97	363
5. Donovan Mitchell	CLE	0	0	3	9	51	63	93
6. LeBron James	LAL	0	0	1	2	10	13	21
7. Cade Cunningham	DET	0	0	1	0	7	8	12
T-8. Anthony Edwards	MIN	0	0	0	1	4	5	7
T-8. Jalen Brunson	NY	0	0	1	0	2	3	7
10. Karl-Anthony Towns	NY	0	0	0	0	6	6	6
11. Evan Mobley	CLE	0	0	0	0	4	4	4
12. Stephen Curry	GS	0	0	0	0	3	3	3
13. Tyrese Haliburton	IND	0	0	0	0	2	2	2
14. James Harden	LAC	0	0	0	0	1	1	1

Similar gap for third and fourth positions

The top of the ballot has been remarkably consistent this season. Not only have Gilgeous-Alexander and Jokic held the top two spots in all three polls, but Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks and Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics have also maintained their positions at No. 3 and 4.

During the midseason poll, Antetokounmpo`s position on end-of-season ballots was threatened by a persistent calf injury. However, Antetokounmpo has now played in 62 games—just three short of the league`s requirement for awards consideration.

Antetokounmpo, averaging 30.2 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 5.9 assists, remains the only player to receive votes in all 19 straw polls conducted over the past nine seasons, consistently placing in the top five in the last 13 polls. Within these 13, he has been remarkably consistent, finishing second once, fourth once, and third the other 11 times.

Tatum has shown similar consistency, staying near the top of the second tier in voting in recent seasons. However, aside from topping the initial poll of the 2022-23 season, he has never ranked higher than fourth, fluctuating between fourth and sixth. This mirrors his official awards vote finishes (sixth in 2022 and 2024, and fourth in 2023).

Mitchell solidifies his fifth place

In the second straw poll, Donovan Mitchell of the Cleveland Cavaliers was fifth, narrowly ahead of New York Knicks stars Karl-Anthony Towns and Jalen Brunson.

After March 7-8, and with Brunson sidelined for several weeks due to an ankle sprain, nearly all his votes shifted to Mitchell, who seems to have secured his first top-five MVP finish.

Brunson, meanwhile, dropped from being neck-and-neck with Mitchell for fifth to receiving only two fifth-place votes this time. Towns also fell in the rankings as the Knicks struggled in recent weeks, especially against strong opponents.

Mitchell and the Cavaliers have maintained their lead in the Eastern Conference, driven by his performance and that of forward Evan Mobley, who also received a few fifth-place votes in his second consecutive straw poll appearance.

Respect for Cunningham and the Pistons …

Eyebrows were raised last summer when the Detroit Pistons gave Cade Cunningham, the No. 1 pick in the 2021 NBA draft, a full max rookie contract extension.

Cunningham had not yet made an All-Star team, had faced injuries, and the Pistons were coming off a 14-win season with a 28-game losing streak. Fast forward to today, Cunningham is an All-Star, likely to make his first All-NBA team—potentially earning a significant bonus by qualifying for the Rose Rule provision and receiving 30% of the salary cap—and is also receiving MVP consideration, appearing on eight ballots and finishing seventh in the voting.

Cunningham, averaging 25.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 9.2 assists this season, has been central to a remarkable season for the Pistons, who have already tripled their win total from last season and still have a chance to finish as high as fourth in the East and host a playoff series.

`I’m genuinely excited to see what he, and they, can achieve,` said a West executive. `They need to experience it and see how their talent fares at that level. …`

`Let`s see how he performs when teams game plan for him over a seven-game series. There`s much to learn until you go through it.`

Cunningham is not only in contention for MVP and All-NBA honors but should also be considered for the league’s Most Improved Player award, and Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff is a strong contender for Coach of the Year in his first season with Detroit.

… And the game`s oldest player

It`s noteworthy that we are discussing the oldest player in the NBA receiving MVP votes. Yet, 40-year-old LeBron James finished sixth, garnering one third-place vote, two fourth-place votes, and ten fifth-place votes in the straw poll.

This is the first time James has received double-digit votes in four years, since his fifth-place finish in the final poll of the 2021 season. Since then, he has received votes in only four of the 12 polls conducted—although this now includes the last two.

James receiving this many votes is a testament not only to his performance but also to the Los Angeles Lakers` resurgence in the standings after acquiring Luka Doncic and positioning themselves for potential home-court advantage in the first round—their 2020 title run was in the Orlando bubble—for the first time in 13 seasons.