SGA and Wemby Have Separated Themselves Into a Different League: Here's Why It Matters

The NBA MVP race is narrowing down to two names, and it's not even close anymore. With 10 days left in the regular season, Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has created real daylight between himself and everyone else chasing the award, including 22-year-old San Antonio Spurs phenom Victor Wembanyama, who has been on an absolute tear.

SGA's Grip on the Trophy

According to ESPN's final NBA MVP straw poll of 2025-26, Gilgeous-Alexander isn't just leading the conversation, he's dominating it. The 27-year-old landed the top spot on 88 out of 100 ballots from media voters, picking up nine second-place votes and three third-place votes for a total of 958 points. Wembanyama sits 300 points back, which tells you everything about how this thing is trending.

What's keeping SGA in the driver's seat? The defending champion Thunder have been hit with injuries, but Gilgeous-Alexander's clutch play has kept them standing tall. While Nikola Jokic continues his usual superhuman performance in Denver and Luka Doncic just posted a 600-point month (the first in March since Michael Jordan in 1987), Gilgeous-Alexander is the one pulling away.

Wemby's Late Push Falls Just Short

Make no mistake: Wembanyama has been absolutely ridiculous since February 1. The Spurs have won 27 of their last 29 games, and Wemby has forced himself into legitimate MVP conversation at just 22 years old. If he wins it, he'd be the first player to capture the award in his third season since Derrick Rose did it 15 years ago.

Monday night was the perfect example of what Wemby can do. He dropped 41 points with three 3-pointers, 16 rebounds, and three blocks as San Antonio demolished the Chicago Bulls. Two hours later? SGA countered by scoring 47 points in Oklahoma City's overtime victory against the Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons.

When asked after the game if he wanted to weigh in on the MVP chatter, Gilgeous-Alexander kept it simple: "No, I'm good. Thanks for asking, though," he told ESPN's Tim MacMahon. Sometimes the best response is letting your game speak.

Ten days left. SGA's lead looks comfortable. But in basketball, anything can happen.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.