With just a few days remaining in the NBA regular season, it’s time to assess the awards races. Is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander a sure bet to secure his first MVP trophy? What other competitions are still undecided?
We tasked our 10-person NBA voting panel with forecasting the winners for each award. Here are the outcomes:
Who will be crowned Rookie of the Year?
Voting breakdown
Stephon Castle, Spurs: 100%
Back-to-back NBA Rookies of the Year in San Antonio? Following Victor Wembanyama’s victory last year, Castle seems poised to become the fourth Spur to claim the top rookie accolade (joining Tim Duncan and David Robinson). The No. 4 pick in the 2024 draft garnered every vote from our panel.
While this rookie class hasn’t been overly impressive, Castle has had a standout debut season. He leads all rookies in points, field goals made, and steals, showcasing his potential on both ends of the court. The future looks bright in San Antonio.
(Bruno Rouby/Yahoo Sports Illustration)
Who will clinch Coach of the Year?
Voting breakdown
Kenny Atkinson, Cavaliers: 80%
J.B. Bickerstaff, Pistons: 10%
Mark Daigneault, Thunder: 10%
The Coach of the Year race is typically a tough one to call, given the abundance of deserving candidates each season. Kenny Atkinson, in his inaugural season with Cleveland, has guided the Cavs to the top seed in the East, starting the season with a perfect 15-0 record. J.B. Bickerstaff, in his first year with Detroit, has overseen a remarkable turnaround, propelling the Pistons from a 14-68 record last year to 43 wins in ’24-25 and a playoff berth.
On the other hand, Mark Daigneault has steered the Thunder to a franchise-best 66 wins, a league-leading 12.4 net rating, and the top seed in the playoffs. Ultimately, our panel believes Atkinson’s coaching efforts will be duly recognized.
Who will capture Defensive Player of the Year?
Voting breakdown
Evan Mobley, Cavaliers: 60%
Draymond Green, Warriors: 40%
If there’s one race to keep an eye on as the season concludes, it’s the battle for DPOY. With Victor Wembanyama sidelined due to a blood clot, the race has been wide open since the All-Star break. As we near the end of the season, it seems to be a showdown between Evan Mobley and Draymond Green.
Mobley, a member of the All-Defensive First Team in ’22-23, has anchored the defense for a dominant Cleveland team this year. Meanwhile, Green has been making a strong case both on and off the court as the Warriors’ versatile defender. In the latest BetMGM odds, Green (-500) has surged ahead of Mobley (+400). With three games remaining for Cleveland and two for Golden State, this race could go down to the wire.
Who will win Sixth Man of the Year?
Voting breakdown
Payton Pritchard, Celtics: 90%
Malik Beasley, Pistons: 10%
The reigning champion Celtics seem poised to add more hardware this season. Our panel envisions Pritchard securing the Sixth Man award comfortably, with the guard averaging 13.9 points and 3.4 assists in 28.3 minutes off the bench for the Celtics, while shooting 40.6% from beyond the arc. Pritchard would join Malcolm Brogdon (2023), Bill Walton (1986), and Kevin McHale (1984, 1985) as the fourth Celtic to claim the Sixth Man honor.
Who will be named Most Improved Player?
Voting breakdown
Dyson Daniels, Hawks: 70%
Cade Cunningham, Pistons: 20%
Deni Avdija, Trail Blazers: 10%
A contender for DPOY, Daniels seems to be a frontrunner for the Most Improved Player award. Following his trade from New Orleans in the Dejounte Murray deal last summer, the third-year guard has had a breakout season in Atlanta, leading the league in steals (3.0) while also enhancing his scoring. Daniels is posting career-best numbers with 14.3 PPG and shooting 49.5% from the field.
Cunningham received recognition for his stellar performance in Detroit, earning his first All-Star selection and guiding the Pistons to the playoffs. Avdija has turned heads with his contributions in Portland, averaging 16.9 points and 7.3 rebounds for the Blazers.
Who will emerge as Clutch Player of the Year?
Voting breakdown
Jalen Brunson, Knicks: 60%
Nikola Jokić, Nuggets: 20%
Stephen Curry, Warriors: 10%
Darius Garland, Cavaliers: 10%
Indeed, the Clutch Player Award remains up for grabs. In its third year, the award recognizes the player who excels in high-pressure situations. This season, Brunson leads the league in points per game and field goals per game during crunch time — defined as the final five minutes of a game with a margin of five points or less. One thing to watch: Brunson must play in two of the Knicks’ final three games to qualify for the award.
Who will claim the title of Most Valuable Player?
Voting breakdown
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: 90%
Nikola Jokić, Nuggets: 10%
As the buzz suggests, this season’s MVP race has been a thrilling contest — albeit with a potential clear winner. Although Jokić is enjoying a historically remarkable statistical season, SGA appears to be sprinting towards his inaugural MVP award. Last year’s MVP runner-up, Gilgeous-Alexander, has propelled Oklahoma City to the NBA’s best record, boasting an 18-game lead over Jokić’s Nuggets. Should he clinch the award, SGA will be the first guard to earn MVP honors since James Harden in 2018.
Interestingly, when asked who should win the MVP award (as opposed to who will win), the results were tighter: 60% in favor of SGA and 40% for Jokić.
Co-MVPs, perhaps?