NBA MVP Odds, Picks, Winners 2025: Giannis Climbs After Stellar NBA Cup Run

• The favorite to win MVP in 2025 is Nikola Jokic

• The top contender to win MVP in 2025 is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

• The 2024 NBA MVP was Nikola Jokic

The Most Valuable Player race hasn’t changed significantly over the past week. The familiar faces remain at the top, as their stellar performances have been too great to overcome. At WSN, we’re locked in on the race for Most Valuable Player, offering the latest odds, predictions, and analyses for the 2024-25 NBA season!

For the best NBA Futures bets, WSN has you covered with betting picks and tips every day throughout the 2024-25 NBA season and playoffs! New sports bettors can use the top NBA promo codes and bonuses before their favorite team tips off!

Atop the odds table for Most Valuable Player is Nikola Jokic, who remains the top performer in the NBA this season. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luka Doncic are just behind him as the top contenders, leading their teams to the upper tier of the Western Conference. From the East are Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jayson Tatum, and their brilliance will keep them in the MVP race all season.

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2025 NBA Most Valuable Player Odds

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2025 NBA Most Valuable Player Pick

• My Pick: Nikola Jokic to Win 2025 NBA Most Valuable Player (-115) at Caesars

Once again, Nikola Jokic has showcased his near-unparalleled dominance, making a compelling case for his fourth NBA MVP award. The Denver Nuggets haven't dominated the Western Conference like in years past, but Jokić is averaging a near-triple-double with elite efficiency. Jokic controls the game flow on both ends of the court for the Denver Nuggets, and his dominance is the only reason they've been competitive this season.

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Who Is the Favorite to Win the NBA MVP in 2025?

Nikola Jokic - Denver Nuggets (-115) at Caesars

After an incredible week to open December, Jokic has had more modest but effective performances over the past seven days. In his last two games, he’s averaged 18.0 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 7.5 assists on 50.0% from the field and 37.5% from three. The Nuggets find themselves in the top five of the Western Conference, with Jokic’s incredible play making up for their shortcomings as a team.

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Who Are the 2025 NBA MVP Contenders?

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander - Oklahoma City Thunder (+260) at Caesars

Coming off a season where he was the runner-up to MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander hasn’t settled, continually improving his game. He was excellent last week, averaging 35.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 5.5 assists in the first two rounds of the NBA Cup, but he fell short in the final, putting up just 21 points in the 16-point loss. Gilgeous-Alexander carries the offensive load for the Thunder, and if he can win the first seed again, don’t be surprised to see him be just the second Canadian ever to win Most Valuable Player.

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Giannis Antetokounmpo - Milwaukee Bucks (+500) at Caesars

The Greek Freak has been incredible this season, dragging the Milwaukee Bucks back up the Eastern Conference standings. Over the last week, he averaged 34.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 5.0 assists to lead his Bucks to the NBA Cup Final, where he put up 29 points, 19 rebounds, and ten assists to win the second inaugural NBA Cup! It’s just one step toward Antetokounmpo’s ultimate goal this season, to win the NBA Championship and his third Most Valuable Player award.

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Luka Doncic - Dallas Mavericks (+650) at Caesars

Since returning to the lineup, Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks have been excellent. Doncic played in two games over the last week, averaging 30.5 points, 11.0 rebounds, 9.0 assists, and 4.0 threes per game on 55.3% shooting. He closed the week with his best performance of the season, putting up 45 points, 13 assists, and 11 rebounds in a commanding win over the Golden State Warriors. If the Mavericks continue to win, count on Doncic to climb the MVP odds table.

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Who Is the Dark Horse to Win 2025 NBA MVP?

Jayson Tatum - Boston Celtics (+1600) at Caesars

Jayson Tatum has been nursing a patellar injury over the past few weeks, but it hasn’t stopped the Boston Celtics from maintaining their impressive title defense season. In just one game last week, Tatum put up 28 points, 12 rebounds, and two threes in 34 minutes of a win over the Wizards. Tatum has the luxury of a strong supporting cast that can compensate for his struggles, but Tatum has been on point all season.

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Who Was the 2024 NBA MVP?

Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets won the 2024 NBA MVP Award. Jokic is among seven international players to win the NBA's highest individual prize. The 2024 NBA MVP Award was the third of Jokic's career, along with the prizes he earned in 2021 and 2022.

Through the 2023-24 NBA season, Jokic led his Denver Nuggets to the second seed in the Western Conference and the Western Conference Conference Semifinals in the NBA Playoffs - eventually losing to the Minnesota Timberwolves in seven games. In his MVP-winning season, Jokic posted averages of 26.4 points, 12.4 rebounds, 9.0 assists, 0.9 blocks, and 1.4 steals on 58.3% from the field and 35.9% from three-point range.

Jokic emerged as the clear winner of the 2024 NBA MVP Award. Through the voting process, Jokic accumulated 79.0 first-place votes compared to the runner-up Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's 15.0 first-place votes. The season's top three in MVP voting were Jokic, Gilgeous-Alexander, and Doncic. An international player has won Most Valuable Player for the sixth straight season.

NBA MVP by Year

Does the NBA MVP Receive a Prize?

The winner of the NBA MVP Award doesn’t receive a prize per se. The Maurice Podoloff Trophy is awarded to the winner, but in terms of cash incentives or bonuses, there are none.

Many player contracts stipulate a bonus upon receiving the award, but that is subject to the terms of the team agreement and not the NBA organization.

In a less direct sense, the NBA MVP winner in the current climate would receive much more exposure, the opportunity for endorsements, and nationally broadcasted matches for his team. The most authentic prize for the NBA MVP Award winner is that their name is written in history as one of the greatest ever to play the game.

Does Fan Vote Determine the NBA MVP?

No, fans of the NBA do not have a say in who will win the NBA MVP. Unlike All-Star voting, the NBA MVP Award is voted upon by a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters across the United States and Canada.

The NBA All-Star Game considers fan voting, where they make up 50% of the total. Votes by current NBA players and a panel of media members account for 25% each.

The voting process for the NBA MVP Award is as follows: Media members can award a player of their choice a “vote” from first place, worth ten points, to fifth place, worth one point. The player with the highest points total wins the award.

Has There Ever Been a Unanimous MVP?

In 2015-2016, Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors was named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player. It was the first time in history that the NBA MVP was decided unanimously. A unanimous vote means that Curry received all available votes among the voting parties.

Shaquille O’Neal in 2000 and LeBron James in 2013 fell one vote short of a unanimous MVP selection.

When Will the NBA MVP Award Winner Be Announced?

The NBA’s Most Valuable Player is named upon the conclusion of the regular season and Play-In Tournament. The league or winner’s team usually makes the announcement again during a broadcast of Inside the NBA.

Who Won the First NBA MVP Award?

The first-ever winner of the NBA MVP was forward-center Bob Pettit in 1956, who played for the now-defunct St. Louis Hawks.

Pettit, an LSU alumnus and the second overall pick in the 1954 NBA Draft, won the NBA MVP Award in just his second season in the NBA. He won the award again in 1958 when he led the St. Louis Hawks to the NBA Championship.

Bob Pettit was the original interior presence in the NBA. Pettit’s career stats are up there with the best of all time. His career averages of 26.4 points, 16.2 rebounds, and 3.0 assists on 43.6% shooting from the field justify his hall-of-fame place.

Which Position Wins the Most MVP Awards?

Position in the NBA has a fluid definition over the course of NBA history. As times have changed, styles have changed as players succeeded in eras defined by the type of play. The positional success of players to the MVP award significantly represents this.

Point Guard (11)

Winners: Bob Cousy, Oscar Robertson, Magic Johnson, Steve Nash, Stephen Curry, Russell Westbrook

The point guard position has won the second-most MVP award. Defined by their ability to distribute the ball, point guards are primarily responsible for their team's success. Generally talented in accumulating assists, players like Steve Nash, Bob Cousy, and Magic Johnson wowed fans and critics with their ability to lift the play of their teammates.

Newer stars like Stephen Curry and Derrick Rose added to the primary playmaking responsibilities of the point guard by becoming elite scorers. Their ability to distribute and score at will drove the success of their squads and garnered their votes.

In a league of their own, Oscar Robertson and Russell Westbrook are the only players to average a triple-double in a season – separated by 53 years. The two were terrors across the court, dangerous from every position and transcendent to basketball.

Shooting Guard (8)

Winners: Michael Jordan, Allen Iverson, Kobe Bryant, James Harden

The positional title defines the players who have won the MVP award at shooting guard. Shooting guard is the position with the least NBA MVP wins. Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant are two of the league’s best-ever scorers, and they built the success of their teams.

While Allen Iverson failed to win an NBA Championship, the diminutive guard’s ability to score was transcendent for a player of his size. James Harden is also one of the league’s most creative scorers, breaking records set by his predecessors and ushering in a score-first mentality not seen since Bryant.

Small Forward (9)

Winners: Julius Irving, Larry Bird, LeBron James, Kevin Durant

The do-it-all nature of its players has defined the Small Forward position. These players could do it all by scoring, defending, playmaking, and rebounding.
There has been a rise in the use of small forwards in recent history as skill level has significantly increased. Julius Irving and Larry Bird were excellent scorers in their way and filled the stat sheet every night.

The entry of LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo into the fold defined an almost new position. Small forwards in body but point guards in ability dominate opponents on each end of the court, with little drawback to their game.

Don’t forget a player with the skills of Kevin Durant. Durant may not be the playmaker, rebounder, or defender these other winners are, but he shows that scoring in the game of basketball is still paramount. 6-11 with a monstrous wingspan and a feathery shooting touch, Durant is one of the best scorers of all time

Power Forward (11)

Winners: Bob Pettit, Charles Barkley, Karl Malone, Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, Dirk Nowitzki

Size matters in the NBA, whether in terms of height or strength. The power forward position took a long time to see growth. Power forwards like Bob Pettit, Charles Barkley, and Karl Malone were excellent scorers in the low post. Being of more diminutive stature, Barkley showed off guard-like skills, while Malone benefitted from fantastic interplay with his teammates.

Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett are famed for their defensive intensity. The two could not be more opposite regarding their personality, but their contributions to the court are immense. The two NBA Champions’ ability on the defensive side defined their team’s success, on top of their ability to score.

Dirk Nowitzki was the first of his type in the NBA. A lanky seven-footer from Germany made his name on the perimeter rather than in the post. While criticized early in his career, Nowitzki’s uniqueness made him the most unguardable player in his prime.

Center (28)

Winners: Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Shaquille O'Neal, Nikola Jokic

Remember when we said size matters in the NBA? The center position epitomizes that. It is by far the most successful position in terms of winning the NBA MVP Award, doubling its closest competitor as of 2022.

An easy basket nearest to the rim is what coaches want, and when you tout the sheer size, skill, and strength of Hakeem Olajuwon, Shaquille O'Neal, Wilt Chamberlain, or Kareem Abdul-Jabbar there are few, if any, that can stop them.

As the last defense for an NBA team, the center position is also saddled with responsibility should his teammates fail. Bill Russell, Wes Unseld, and Moses Malone showed that stopping a team from scoring or getting second chances was as valuable as scoring the ball.

Centers used to define the game of basketball, but the game's direction has changed to the perimeter. Despite having the most winners by position, it was a 21-year gap between Shaquille O'Neal winning MVP in 2000 and Nikola Jokic winning in 2021.