Wembanyama tops MVP predictions

Victor Wembanyama, a 22-year-old French center playing for the San Antonio Spurs, is the favorite to win the NBA's Most Valuable Player (MVP) award for the 2026-2027 season, according to a pre-season survey of 30 team managers.

Strong support for Wembanyama

Twenty-three of the 30 managers, or 70%, selected Wembanyama as the MVP, following a season in which he led the Spurs to the NBA finals and finished third in the MVP race, behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic.

Wembanyama's dominance in other categories

Wembanyama is also expected to win the Defensive Player of the Year award for the second consecutive season, with 97% of the managers' votes. He is also favored in categories such as most versatile player, best international player, and the player who forces the most adjustments from opposing coaches.

Spurs' chances for championship

Fifteen of the 30 managers predict the Spurs, who reached the finals in June, will win the 2026-2027 NBA championship, defeating Oklahoma City (43%). However, the survey's accuracy has been questionable in recent years, with managers often misjudging future champions.

Survey's track record questioned

The survey has a history of inaccuracies, as 80% of the managers predicted the Oklahoma Thunder to win last season, while the New York Knicks actually won their first championship since 1973.