NBA MVP Odds, Picks, Winners 2025

• The favorite to win MVP in 2025 is Nikola Jokic

• The top contender to win MVP in 2025 is Luka Doncic

• The 2024 NBA MVP was Nikola Jokic

When the 2024 NBA Playoffs ended, the 2025 NBA Most Valuable Player award race began! All of the NBA’s top stars will compete for the league’s most prestigious award. At WSN, we delve into the ongoing race, offering the latest odds, predictions, and analyses for the 2024-25 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 sportsbook promo codes and bonuses before their favorite team tips off!

To open the 2024 NBA offseason, three-time MVP Nikola Jokic is the favorite to win the 2025 NBA MVP. However, his top challenger is expected to be 2024 NBA Finals runner-up Luka Doncic. However, Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo are sure to make their claim for the award when the season begins.

Let's check out the bets!

2025 NBA Most Valuable Player Odds

Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook. Head to FanDuel to place your bets on the 2025 NBA Valuable Player:Bet $5, Get $200 in Bonus Bets. Check out our list of the best NBA betting sites for more betting opportunities.

2025 NBA Most Valuable Player WSN’s Pick

• Luka Doncic to Win 2025 NBA Most Valuable Player (+380) at FanDuel

After leading his team to the NBA Finals last season, Luka Doncic projects to make another step in his career. As the Dallas Mavericks fortify their roster in hopes of reaching another NBA Finals, Doncic is expected to improve his stellar production and be one of the league’s top stars this season.

FanDuel Sportsbook Promo for the 2025 NBA Most Valuable Player

Enjoy a top-tier sports betting experience with a special welcome offer from FanDuel Sportsbook and the team at WSN! Explore diverse betting markets and exciting NBA Futures when you sign up at FanDuel Sportsbook! Take advantage of this unique offer before the 2025 NBA Most Valuable Player is named!

New users at FanDuel Sportsbook can receive $150 in bonus bets with a $5 wager! No promo code is needed. Sign up at FanDuel Sportsbook, place a minimum $5 wager on your chosen market, and enjoy $150 in Bonus Bets if your first bet wins! Bonus Bets will expire after seven days, are not cashable, and must be wagered at least once.

There’s a special promotion for bettors in Massachusetts or Ohio: Your $5 bet can earn you $300 in bonuses if your wager wins!

If you have questions or require further insights, check out our expert review of FanDuel Sportsbook!

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

Nikola Jokic (+350) at FanDuel

Nikola Jokic has already earned his place among the NBA’s all-time greats. An NBA Champion and multi-time MVP, Jokic has nothing to prove. His quality and leadership keep him in MVP and title contention each season. Despite falling in the Western Conference Second Round last season, Jokic is expected to, once again, carry his Nuggets back within reach of the Larry O’Brien Trophy.

Through the 2023-24 NBA season, Jokic led his Nuggets in points, rebounds, and assists. He is the reigning NBA Most Valuable Player, having also been named to his sixth All-Star and All-NBA teams.

The Nuggets failed their Championship defense last season, but Jokic still won his third Most Valuable Player award. His versatility and consistency are unlike anything the league has seen in his position. As long as Jokic stays healthy, he’s expected to be a top contender for Most Valuable Player.

Who Are the 2025 NBA MVP Contenders?

Luka Doncic (+380) at FanDuel

Luka Doncic, at just 24 years old, has had one of the most impressive seasons for a young player in NBA history. He led his Dallas Mavericks through the Western Conference gauntlet en route to the NBA Finals. While he and the Mavericks fell short in the NBA Finals, Doncic has set himself up as the future face of the NBA.

One of the NBA’s most complete offensive players, Doncic led the Mavericks last season in points, assists, rebounds, steals, and threes per game. Last season, Doncic was named to his fifth All-Star team, finished third in MVP voting, and earned a place on the All-NBA First Team.

The Dallas Mavericks’ goal is to surround Doncic with the type of players to support him in his run for an NBA Championship. One of the league’s top scorers and playmakers, Doncic will be among the top contenders for MVP, so long as the Mavericks can stay among the upper ranks of the Western Conference.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (+550) at FanDuel

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder announced themselves as contenders for the top prizes in the NBA last season. Gilgeous-Alexander was one of the league’s best players last season, leading the Thunder to the top seed in the Western Conference. Despite falling to the eventual Western Conference Champions in the Second Round, Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder proved they’ll be a force for many seasons.

The Canadian point guard led the Thunder in points, assists, and steals last season. He claimed his second All-Star appearance while being named to the All-NBA First Team and finishing second in MVP voting last season.

Gilgeous-Alexander has proven to be one of the NBA’s most dominant point guards in the NBA. His versatility, reliability, and clutch play have helped carry a young Thunder team to tremendous heights. As the Thunder improve and gain experience, Gilgeous-Alexander will only improve his production and efficiency. Count on the Thunder guard to be among the top players for a third consecutive season as he aims to bring his team within title contention.

Giannis Antetokounmpo (+550) at FanDuel

The Milwaukee Bucks began the 2023-24 NBA season with ambitions of adding another NBA Championship to their trophy cabinet. Giannis Antetokounmpo led the way for the Bucks, supported by the newly acquired Damian Lillard. Antetokounmpo and his supporting cast struggled to stay on the court and were eliminated in the Playoffs' First Round.

Antetokounmpo finished the 2023-24 NBA season as the Bucks' leader in scoring, rebounding, and field-goal percentage. He was named to his eighth All-Star team and finished fourth in MVP voting while also being named to the All-NBA First Team.

The Milwaukee Bucks will begin their first full season under Doc Rivers when the 2024-25 regular season starts. The goal for Antetokounmpo and the Bucks will be another NBA Championship, as the age and contracts of their group have their title-contention window closing. One of the most dominant two-way forces in the NBA, Antetokounmpo will be among the top contenders for MVP next season – as long as he can remain healthy.

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.

More NBA Futures

• NBA Clutch Player of the Year

• NBA Defensive Player of the Year

• NBA Most Improved Player

• NBA Rookie of the Year

• NBA Sixth Man of the Year

• NBA Coach of the Year

• NBA Regular Season Scoring Leader

• NBA Championship Odds & Predictions

• NBA Power Rankings