Every new NBA season produces several key questions. Naturally, there will be debate over which franchise team will emerge as the overall champions following a long and grueling campaign. At the same time, there will be a great deal of focus on the players. Which of the many NBA stars will drive their teams into the postseason? Who will claim Rookie of the Year out of the many draft picks, and who will land the prestigious Most Valuable Player award? The MVP race is always fascinating, but who is in contention in 2025?
Early Exchanges
The current NBA season got underway in October, and most of the stronger teams are delivering on their potential. Over in the Eastern Conference, the Cleveland Cavaliers had the best record after 57 games, with an impressive 47 wins. The Boston Celtics offered the closest challenge to Cleveland, while the New York Knicks, the Indiana Pacers, and the Milwaukee Bucks also looked likely to progress to the postseason. Over in the Western Conference, the Oklahoma City Thunder led the way with 46 wins from their first 56 games. Behind the leaders, the Memphis Grizzlies, the Denver Nuggets, and the Los Angeles Lakers were also in contention. Those are the leading teams, but who are the key players as the campaign progresses?
Out in Front
As the 2024/25 NBA season crossed its halfway point, Oklahoma City Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander emerged as the favorite to claim the MVP award. Current NBA MVP odds put the Canadian-born guard ahead of the chasing pack in a clear lead. Gilgeous-Alexander has enjoyed a stunning year for the Thunder. After his first 54 matches of the new campaign, he averaged an impressive 32.2 points per game. The 26-year-old has been instrumental in Oklahoma’s campaign as he looks to take the team to its first NBA Championship since 1979.
Heading Up The Chasing Pack
While Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has a lead in the MVP race, the result could still be tight. The decision isn’t a foregone conclusion this year, and many top players aim to topple the market leader. At the head of the chasing pack is Nikola Jokic, the Denver Nuggets center who claimed the MVP trophy as recently as 2024. Denver is among the closest challengers to the Thunder in the West, and if the team is to go deep into preseason, Jokic will have to maintain his form.
Among the Underdogs
Behind the two men at the top of the regular season MVP standings, Giannis Antetokounmpo is another player receiving plenty of interest. While his Milwaukee Bucks side still has work to do to ensure a place in the playoffs, Antetokounmpo doesn’t necessarily need a championship win to claim the MVP. The giant power forward won MVP in 2019 and 2020 before taking the Bucks to the championship a year later. He’s enjoyed another consistent season and will be looking to get back to his best form following a recent injury.
Other players with odds attached to their names include Anthony Davis, Stephen Curry, and Jayson Tatum. Curry is another former award winner who was named MVP in 2015 and 2016. His Golden State Warriors team has ground to make up in the Western Conference Pacific Division, and he remains an underdog. Anthony Davis may not have expected to be traded from the Los Angeles Lakers to the Dallas Mavericks in February. The center, who won the NBA Championship with the Lakers in 2020, is talented enough to take the move in his stride, but the switch may not help his MVP hopes. Jayson Tatum is another candidate for MVP glory in 2025, and the forward should go deep into the postseason. Tatum’s Boston Celtics side are joint favorites to win the championship this season as they close in on the Atlantic Division title. Of all the MVP underdogs, Jayson Tatum could be the man to watch.
It could yet be a tight race for the MVP award at the end of this regular season, but Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the man to beat. His Oklahoma City Thunder franchise are joint favorites, along with the Boston Celtics, to win the NBA Championship at the end of the campaign. If the Thunder can strike, Gilgeous-Alexander’s exceptional stats will have done much to take them over the line. With around a third of the regular season, there is plenty of time for these odds to shift. Players can still emerge to deliver influential performances for their teams, while others could suffer injury and a loss of form. The experts have had their say, and while Oklahoma’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the current market leader, many games are left before this season’s MVP is crowned.