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The NBA MVP conversation has been very tight. There have not been any runaway favorites unlike the past years. With less than nine games remaining in the regular season, three names have stood out over the rest: Victor Wembanyama, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Luka Doncic. In the most recent ladder update, the San Antonio Spurs superstar is looking to beat out Derrick Rose for the youngest player to ever win the award if he beats both the Oklahoma City Thunder and Los Angeles Lakers guards.
Wembanyama rises to No. 1 in the NBA MVP ladder
Previously, the Spurs superstar was ranked third in the NBA MVP ladder, per Shaun Powell of NBA.com. He rose up to first which shakes up the voters and conversations a lot regarding the Michael Jordan trophy. This is because it is the first time throughout the 82-game season that Gilgeous-Alexander was not at the top spot.
On Wembanyama's road to the top of the NBA MVP ladder, he usurped quite a few heavy-hitters and franchise cornerstones. Gilgeous-Alexander now sits second after weeks of having the No. 1 spot. Nikola Jokic rose all the way to third as he averages an insane triple-double with 27.8 points, 12.8 rebounds, and 10.8 assists. Doncic rounds out the top four candidates after having sat at the second spot for quite a time as well.
This shakeup is a reflection of how the Spurs have rallied to notch the best record in the league. They have won seven-straight games and are now just two games back from usurping the Thunder to get homecourt advantage throughout the whole postseason. Obviously, Coach Mitch Johnson has not been shy at making Wembanyama play in order for the Spurs to have the superstar's impact on defense, offense, leadership, and even intangibles. Wembanyama currently leads the league in nearly all defensive metrics while he averages 24.2 points, 11.2 rebounds, and 3.1 blocks.
Nine games is a long time for the Spurs, Lakers, and Thunder superstars. If all goes well, San Antonio will have the youngest NBA MVP by the summer and their first since Tim Duncan in 2003.
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