In a total team effort, the Knicks topped the Spurs in the Championship to snag the 2025 Emirates NBA Cup.
There’s a specific burden that all Kia MVP candidates carry, fair or not. That burden either supports their argument for the award or dismisses it, depending on whether their shoulders are sturdy enough to carry the load along with the unwritten rule.
And it is this: How far do they take their team up the standings?
That’s understandable. This is the highest individual award (although perhaps the NBA Finals MVP is more satisfying), and therefore it’s the most demanding as well. If a player’s going to bring a case, it must be as airtight as possible, given the competition for the award.
If a player is truly valuable, shouldn’t he have his team in contention?
It’s such a gray area, though. Maybe such a player is indeed tremendous, but his teammates are either lacking or injured. Or his team is unlucky. Or … well, OK, there’s a reason only one player (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) won an MVP with a losing team (the 1975-76 Los Angeles Lakers were 40-42 and missed the playoffs).
But, back on topic: When a team prospers under such a candidate, then such a candidate deserves props … and a nudge on the Kia Race to the MVP.
That’s why Jalen Brunson (No. 4) and Victor Wembanyama (6) are high risers this week on the Kia MVP Ladder, which reflects their role in helping the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs reach the Emirates NBA Cup championship game.
It’s only fair. Those two hauled their teams, and in the case of Wembanyama, this was after he missed a chunk of the season. The Cup is the only championship of any kind that an MVP candidate can compete for — it’s a regular-season award, remember — so winning the Cup (Brunson) and being runner-up (Wembanyama) earns extra credit.
Therefore, salute these two, give them their respect, and let the coming weeks and months ultimately decide if their lofty place on the Ladder is firm or temporary.
Setting the stage this week: It’s that time of year again. Christmas Day always brings the best matchups, and 2025 is no exception. On what other night of the regular season schedule will you get Victor Wembanyama, Jalen Brunson, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokić, Luka Dončić, Alperen Sengun and Anthony Edwards — all top-10 on the Ladder this week — along with Stephen Curry, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Jamal Murray and Donovan Mitchell? Fun awaits on Thursday.
The stat to know: Gilgeous-Alexander went 2-0 in Game 7s last postseason to lead OKC to a championship, but is 1-2 in Las Vegas during the NBA Cup, the only significant prize he lacks in his career.
What they are saying: “We don’t need Ant to be the point guard in the classic sense. We need him to be himself, get us in and out of our structure, push the pace a little bit more. Largely he has done a good job with that. We don’t need him to make this shift over to being John Stockton.” — Minnesota Timberwolves coach Chris Finch, explaining why Edwards (No. 9 on the Ladder) will often play the role of point guard, a troublesome position for the Wolves.
1. Nikola Jokić , Denver Nuggets
Last week’s ranking: No. 1 ↔️
Season stats: 29.6 points, 12.3 rebounds, 10.9 assists
His case: Jokić remains the jack of all trades when it comes to the Nuggets. Once again, he’s leading his team in multiple categories — scoring, rebounds, assists, steals — while displaying uncanny efficiency. He’s shooting 61%, which is remarkable for someone who qualifies as a volume shooter and the focal point of his team’s offense. And he has 13 triple-doubles in 25 games.
Jokić is averaging 32-12-10 in December, his best month so far, and it’s no coincidence the short-handed Nuggets are nonetheless creeping up the West rankings. They’re still a bit away from OKC but there’s a pecking order in this ladder between the Nuggets’ guy and OKC’s guy.
2. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder
Last week’s ranking: No. 2 ↔️
Season stats: 32.4 points, 4.7 rebounds, 6.4 assists.
His case: He’s such a strong and consistent player whose game rarely fluctuates unless it’s for the better. The typical Shai night is 30 points in 28 or so minutes then he sits the fourth quarter. It’s a formula that preserves him for the long haul and still keeps the Thunder winning.
Such was the case again Thursday, when he dropped 32 points in 29 minutes. Curiously, this was against the Clippers, the team that traded him to OKC, the team whose No. 1 pick next summer is owned by OKC, and is looking like lottery gold.
3. Luka Dončić, Los Angeles Lakers
Last week’s ranking: No. 3 ↔️
Season stats: 35.2 points, 8.8 rebounds, 9.1 assists
His case: Dončić remains top-five in scoring and assists, showing elite offensive skills and improved defensive instincts. He did have seven baskets and six turnovers in a rare stumble, last Sunday against the Suns, but he rarely stitches together a string of poor outings.
Case in point was Thursday’s 45-point triple-double against the Jazz. Dončić has too much talent and pride to suffer any sign of a slump. He also had five steals in that game and his desire to play defense has never been higher.
4. Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks
Last week’s ranking: No. 6 ⬆️
Season stats: 28.7 points, 3.3 rebounds, 6.4 assists
His case: In his first game after the Cup, he dropped the game-winning shot against the Pacers. Not surprising. Brunson is on pace to make All-NBA and those chances were only fortified by his steady and high-level play — not only in Las Vegas, but throughout the Emirates NBA Cup tournament.
Brunson once again is a top-10 scorer. He’s also averaging nearly 30 points per game in December, shooting 50% overall and 39.2% on 3-pointers this month. He remains one of the toughest assignments for defenders because of his ability to create off the dribble.
5. Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons
Last week’s ranking: No. 4 ⬇️
Season stats: 27.2 points, 6.2 rebounds, 9.2 assists
His case: It’s no shade to Cunningham that Brunson leapfrogged him on the Ladder. That said, the Knicks are gaining on the Pistons in the East and Brunson’s season is individually comparable.
But Cunningham hasn’t suffered many dips this season. Off games are also rare for him as he’s either scoring or setting up his teammates. The No. 2 player in assists this season is No. 11 in scoring. Cunningham remains the top player on the top team in the conference, and performance plus team success always equals a good MVP Ladder equation.
The next 5:
6. Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs ⬆️
7. Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics ⬇️
8. Alperen Sengun, Houston Rockets ⬆️
9. Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves ↔️
10. Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers ⬇️
And five more (listed alphabetically): Jalen Johnson, Atlanta Hawks; Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers; Jamal Murray, Denver Nuggets; Austin Reaves, Los Angeles Lakers; Karl-Anthony Towns, New York Knicks
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Shaun Powell has covered the NBA since 1985. You can e-mail him at [email protected]m, find his archive here and follow him on X.
