SGA leads NBA MVP voting in latest ESPN straw poll

The 2024-25 NBA MVP race is heating up, with the second ESPN straw poll by ESPN's Tim Bontemps showing a shift in the voting.

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has surpassed Nikola Jokić for the top spot, earning 910 points, including 70 first-place votes. Jokić follows with 788 points, 30 first-place votes, and 69 second-place votes. Both players appeared on all 100 ballots, with every other contender trailing behind, making it clear that the MVP race is now a two-man contest.

A win would be the first for SGA, while Nikola would join Kareem (6), Bill Russell (5), Michael Jordan (5), Lebron (4), and Wilt (4) as the only players to win at least four times.

FANDUEL currently list MVP odds Shai Gilgeous-Alexander -440 Nikola Jokić +300

SGA Numbers

Gilgeous-Alexander’s rise is notable—he had 678 points in the first poll, while Jokić led with 827. Despite the Nuggets' strong play and Jokić's ongoing triple-double performances, the Thunder, tied with the Cleveland Cavaliers for the best record at 44-10, are leading the West by eight games.

Gilgeous-Alexander leads the league in scoring (32.5 PPG) and has posted the most 30+, 40+, and 50+ point games this season. His all-around stats (6.1 assists, 5.1 rebounds) and efficient shooting (52.3% FG, 35.9% 3P) add to his MVP case.

Jokić

Jokić is also putting up historic numbers with 29.8 points, 12.6 rebounds, and 10.2 assists per game, shooting 57.7% from the field and 45% from three. Despite the Nuggets' recent surge (36-19), his total could be impacted by the Thunder’s overall record.

Injuries to Luka Dončić have also shifted the race, with Giannis Antetokounmpo holding steady in third according to the straw poll. The gap between the top two and the rest of the field is "unprecedented" according to Bontemps, with the MVP race now shaping up as a battle between Jokić, a three-time MVP, and Gilgeous-Alexander, who is aiming to be the first guard to win the award since James Harden in 2018. Whichever player wins will mark the seventh consecutive international MVP award, with Gilgeous-Alexander being from Canada.