Ballislife’s NBA MVP Ladder returns after a 3 week hiatus, and there’s heaps to debate. We pay tribute to Nikola Jokic’s half-decade run as an S tier frontrunner for the award with one last look for him in 2026, as he’s approaching the video games missed restrict. Cade Cunningham slides out of the highest 5 after a sequence of sub-20 level scoring video games, whereas two new faces in Donovan Mitchell and Victor Wembanyama make their first appearances after a powerful January from each.
1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC Thunder (Age 27, 1-Time MVP)
Final rating: No. 1
The 27-year-old reigning MVP had ample alternative to construct his MVP case over an absent Nikola Jokic these final three weeks, and it’s protected to say that’s precisely what he did. Since January 8, SGA is scoring proper above his season common at 32.4 factors per sport and is doing so on 64 p.c capturing besides.
Gilgeous-Alexander’s finest outing throughout this stretch got here in opposition to the Milwaukee Bucks on Jan. 19, the place he scored 47 factors on a exceptional 16-of-19 from the sphere whereas allotting 11 assists and grabbing 7 rebounds. He additionally scored 47 factors on 17-of-28 capturing in opposition to the Indiana Pacers on Friday, however the Thunder fell in a 117-114 stunner.
With 46 factors tonight, Luka Dončić turns into the third participant in NBA historical past to attain 2,000 factors of their first 65 video games with a franchise.
He joins Wilt Chamberlain and Walt Bellamy 🤝 pic.twitter.com/bjaUoWmmKK
— ESPN Insights (@ESPNInsights) January 27, 2026
2. Luka Doncic, L.A. Lakers (Age 26, No MVPs)
Final rating: No. 3
Doncic briefly left Wednesday’s loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers with a decrease leg damage, however when he’s on the ground for the Lakers, he’s been at his finest. The 26-year-old leads the NBA in scoring at 33.8 factors per sport and is third within the league with 8.8 assists per sport, and a few of his most spectacular performances of the season have are available in the previous couple of weeks.
Doncic lit up the Chicago Bulls from past the arc on Monday, making 8-of-14 makes an attempt from 3-point vary in a 46-point outburst. Doncic additionally tallied 11 assists, main the Lakers to a 129-118 win. He additionally impressed in a 115-107 win over the shorthanded Denver Nuggets, tallying a 38-point triple-double with 13 rebounds and 10 assists.
3. Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets (Age 30, 3-Time MVP)
Final rating: No. 2
Jokic has missed the Nuggets’ final 15 video games and can all however actually be ineligible for the MVP award when he (possible) returns after being evaluated in per week because of the minimal video games threshold. As such, this will likely be Jokic’s final look on the ladder this season, which is a disgrace as a result of it really felt like he was taking part in the very best ball of his profession when he went down on Dec. 29 in opposition to the Miami Warmth.
One of the crucial latest instances Jokic was on the court docket, he delivered one of many nice common season performances of all time in entrance of a primetime viewers on Christmas Day. The three-time MVP notched 55 factors, 16 rebounds and 15 assists, turning into the primary participant in league historical past to file a 55/15/15 stat line.
4. Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers (Age 29, No MVPs)
Final rating: NR
It looks as if the Cleveland Cavaliers are lastly rounding into the crew all of us anticipated them to be, profitable every of their final 4 video games and 6 of their final seven. After all, it’s Mitchell who’s been the driving power of these outcomes. The 29-year-old scored 45 factors to steer the Cavs over the Orlando Magic of their on Monday in Orlando, and that was simply two days after he dropped 36 factors on them in one other double-digit win in Cleveland.
Mitchell’s 29.5 factors per sport rank third within the NBA and his 5.8 assists a sport rank within the prime 25 leaguewide. It appears he’s gone beneath the radar in lots of MVP discussions till just lately as a result of Cleveland wasn’t stacking wins, however the actuality is he’s been placing up these form of numbers all season lengthy and now seems to be reaching one other gear.
5. Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs (Age 22, No MVPs)
Final rating: NR
The San Antonio Spurs are trying increasingly like a championship contender and a possible thorn within the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder’s aspect. We all know the explanation why. Victor Wembanyama has shortly grow to be the kind of participant we assumed he could be when he was drafted first general in 2023, wreaking havoc on the defensive finish whereas offering poise and polish offensively.
The 22-year-old Frenchman is averaging 24.2 factors and 11.1 rebounds per sport, recording 10+ rebounds in every of his final 4 video games and 4 of his final 5. Within the Spurs’ final win over the Utah Jazz on Jan. 22, Wembanyama exhibited his prowess on each ends of the ground by scoring 26 factors on an environment friendly 9-of-14 capturing, whereas grabbing 14 rebounds and gathering 5 blocks on the defensive finish.
