Let’s get this out of the way in which: Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ought to win NBA MVP. He’s placing up 30 a recreation on absurd effectivity, his Thunder have lapped the sector and he’s essentially the most reliable closer within the league. His MVP candidacy is a runaway. This text isn’t in regards to the MVP, although.
That is about one thing larger — one thing more durable to measure and much more enjoyable to argue about. For the higher a part of 5 years, Denver’s Nikola Jokic has been one of the best basketball participant on Earth — the man you’d take first in case you wanted one sequence, one recreation, one possession with every little thing on the road. Three MVPs. A title. Seasons that routinely broke our brains, typically with out the good thing about an All-Star teammate.
However right here we’re in April 2026, and for the primary time in a very long time, that title feels genuinely up for grabs. SGA, San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama and Los Angeles Lakers celebrity Luka Doncic have made actual, credible claims to the throne.
So the query is simple: Heading into these playoffs, is Jokic nonetheless that dude — or has the league lastly caught him?
The case for Nikola Jokic for greatest participant on this planet
To be clear: There isn’t any slippage in Jokic’s recreation; others have merely ascended to his degree. This season, “The Joker” is posting an absurd triple-double common for the second straight season (27.9 PPG, 12.9 RPG, 10.9 APG) and main the NBA in assists and rebounds per recreation (no participant has led the NBA in each averages in the identical season).
Denver’s offensive ranking ranks first in the league (120.8 factors per 100 possessions). When he is on the ground, the Nuggets are a plus-10.4 factors per 100 possessions; when he is off the courtroom, the Nuggets are a minus-3.4 factors per 100 possessions. That on/off differential has been his calling card for 4 straight seasons, and it stays huge.
Jokic is, statistically, essentially the most impactful offensive participant in basketball. He is a 6-foot-11, 284-pound mix of Magic Johnson and Larry Chicken’s feathery taking pictures contact. The diploma to which he warps a protection just by catching the ball on the elbow remains to be unmatched. No participant in NBA historical past has sustained this type of all-around manufacturing at this degree of effectivity for this lengthy.
The challengers to Nikola Jokic for greatest participant on this planet
SGA has the strongest case. He is placing up gaudy scoring numbers (31.6 PPG) for the group with one of the best file (62-16). And, regardless of solely getting 31 video games so removed from his All-NBA working mate, Jalen Williams, OKC is the heavy favourite to hold a banner this postseason too, with SGA because the engine.
He is one of the best participant on one of the best group, plus he is first or second (with Jokic) within the NBA in many of the advanced statistics like win shares (14.8), worth over substitute participant (7.5), field rating plus/minus (11.8) and participant effectivity ranking (31). His 59.4 % efficient field-goal share as a guard is sort of unfair, and his factors per 36 minutes (33.9) is even larger than Doncic’s (33.7).
At 27, Gilgeous-Alexander is coming into his prime years with a supporting forged that is not going wherever. If the Thunder repeat, SGA turns into the undisputed greatest participant alive.
Wembanyama is essentially the most fascinating challenger. At 22, he is placing up 24.9 PPG, 11.6 RPG, and three.1 BPG per recreation, and the Spurs are 59-19 and coming off a particularly entertaining extra time loss to Jokic and the Nuggets wherein he successfully battled The Joker to a draw.
Wemby is actually one-of-a-kind: a ravishing mix of Manute Bol’s peak, Kevin Durant’s offensive recreation and Rudy Gobert’s rim safety (however higher!).
And maybe better of all, this child does not simply have the pure presents to be one of many best gamers of all time; he has the aggressive hearth burning inside him that solely the best gamers have. He desires to win all of the championships and all of the MVPs. Everyone knows he will be one of the best participant within the NBA quickly, however Wemby has no real interest in ready — he thinks he is one of the best participant on this planet proper now, and he is perhaps proper.
Doncic is doing Luka issues in Los Angeles. His 33.5 PPG leads the NBA, and he is chipping in 7.7 RPG and eight.3 APG for a Lakers group sitting at 50-28 (third within the Western Convention). He dropped 60 on the Warmth. He scored 600 points in March (turning into certainly one of 10 gamers to hit that plateau in a month). And, earlier than his hamstring damage Sunday evening (he is carried out for the regular-season), he had vaulted the Lakers into the contender circle.
When Doncic is cooking — and he is been cooking all season — there may not be a extra unstoppable offensive power in basketball, together with Jokic.
The decision for greatest basketball participant on this planet
Jokic nonetheless will get the good thing about the doubt… for now.
The numbers nonetheless say Jokic. Triple-double averages, absurd true taking pictures, on/off information, offensive ranking, superior metrics. Denver, which performs host to Portland on Monday evening, is 50-28 and has the first-ranked offense within the NBA, and Jokic is the rationale.
He is additionally a confirmed playoff performer with a championship and a Finals MVP on his résumé. When the depth ratchets up in April and Might, he takes his recreation to a brand new degree (see Saturday’s 40-point, 13-assist, eight-rebound efficiency in a win over Wemby and the Spurs).
However that advantage of the doubt has an expiration date. If SGA leads Oklahoma Metropolis to a repeat, the belt adjustments palms. If Wembanyama carries San Antonio to the Finals at 22, the dialog shifts completely. Even Doncic, if he will get wholesome and drags the Lakers to a title on his again, would have a reputable declare.
Jokic remains to be the king. However for the primary time, the king is trying over his shoulder, and there are three guys closing quick.
