SGA Won't Let Wemby Steal His Crown, and the Numbers Back It Up

With 10 days left in the regular season, the NBA MVP race has crystallized into something that looks simple on the surface but plays out way more complicated than that. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is winning. Victor Wembanyama is chasing hard. And according to ESPN's final straw poll of the 2025-26 season, the Thunder guard is going to cross the finish line first.

In a poll of 100 NBA media members conducted Monday through Wednesday, Gilgeous-Alexander dominated the vote with 88 first-place ballots. He also picked up nine second-place votes and three third-place votes for a total of 958 points, which puts him 300 points clear of Wembanyama. That's not a photo finish. That's a statement.

Wemby's Late Push Still Isn't Enough

Here's the wild part: Wembanyama is absolutely making a case. Since February 1st, his San Antonio Spurs have won 27 of 29 games and forced their way into the conversation for the NBA's best record. The 22-year-old phenom has put himself in position to become the first player to win MVP in his third season since Derrick Rose did it 15 years ago. That's historic territory.

On Monday night alone, Wemby dropped 41 points with three 3-pointers, 16 rebounds, and three blocks as San Antonio overwhelmed the Chicago Bulls. A couple hours later though, Gilgeous-Alexander responded by scoring 47 points in Oklahoma City's overtime win against the Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons. When ESPN's Tim MacMahol asked him 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. Yeah, I'm good. I let my game do the talking."

Why SGA Stays Ahead

The 27-year-old Thunder guard is putting up video game numbers. He's averaging 31.6 points on 55.3% shooting to go with 4.4 rebounds, 6.5 assists, and 1.4 steals. And he's doing it while powering Oklahoma City to the best record in the entire NBA for the second straight season, all while key contributors like All-Star Jalen Williams have shuffled in and out of the lineup. Williams has only played 31 games this season after dealing with offseason wrist surgery and a hamstring strain in January.

Gilgeous-Alexander has now led five consecutive straw polls since the middle of last season. He's got a real shot to become the 14th player in league history to win back-to-back MVPs and the 16th to win it at least twice.

Nikola Jokic and Luka Doncic, who dropped 600 points in March (the first player to do that since Michael Jordan in 1987), haven't fallen out of the conversation either. But with the regular season clock winding down, the SGA vs. Wemby duel is locked in, and right now, the Thunder's ace isn't giving an inch.

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