The NBA Regular Season has come to an end, and the teams that qualified for the Playoffs are now battling it out for a spot in the Finals. However, on Sunday night, the National Basketball Association announced the three nominees for the MVP award — with the notable detail that none of them were born in the United States.

The finalists are none other than Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder), Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets), and Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks). This means the Regular Season MVP will once again be a foreign-born player — for the seventh consecutive year.

The last American to win the award was James Harden, during the 2017–18 season with the Houston Rockets. Since then, the MVP title has gone to Nikola Jokic three times, Giannis Antetokounmpo twice, and Joel Embiid once. Now, the favorite is Canadian point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Statistics of the three MVP finalists for the 2025 Regular Season:

🏆 2025 NBA Regular Season MVP Finalists – Player Stats

 

Player
Points
Rebounds
Assists
FG%
Team Record

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
32.7
5.1
6.1
52.3%
68–14

Nikola Jokic
29.6
12.7
10.2
56.7%
57–25

Giannis Antetokounmpo
30.4
11.9
6.5
61.0%
50–32

AI’s Prediction for the 2025 NBA Regular Season MVP Award

“While both Jokić and Antetokounmpo have had outstanding seasons, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander stands out as the leading candidate for the 2024–2025 MVP award. His scoring leadership, the league’s best record with the Thunder, and his consistency throughout the season all support his case. Additionally, betting odds and polls from specialized media outlets place him as the favorite to win the award.”