Overview
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander topped ESPN’s 100-voter straw poll with 78 first-place votes, appearing on every ballot and holding a 230-point lead over the field.
- Nikola Jokic garnered 18 first-place votes, but his December knee bone bruise and proximity to the 65-game threshold have dampened his push.
- Victor Wembanyama’s case is strengthening as San Antonio climbed to 39-16 with a seventh straight win, and ESPN’s Tim Bontemps notes a late surge could mirror Joel Embiid’s 2022-23 run if health and seeding break his way.
- Gilgeous-Alexander is managing an abdominal strain yet has missed only seven games this season, reinforcing his durability edge.
- The straw poll reflects current media sentiment rather than the official vote, with other candidates receiving limited top-slot support, including Wembanyama (3) and Cade Cunningham (1).