And identical to that, the 2025-26 NBA common season has come to an finish.
It’s been one of many weirder years in league historical past. We began with a tree-planting controversy in pre-season, to the tanking and 65-game rule discourse hitting overdrive, and most just lately, all the Wizards group nearly obtained cancelled for a misinterpreted April Fools joke.
Fortunately, that’s all within the rearview mirror. Earlier than the playoffs begin, although, we have to have a cordial dialogue about awards.
Let’s begin with the Massive Kahuna.
Most Helpful Participant: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Runner-ups: Victor Wembanyama, Nikola Jokic
The MVP is Shai, and I don’t suppose it ought to be that shut. His 55.3% FG is the best out of each 30-point-per-game season in historical past, and his 66.5% true taking pictures can also be the second-highest, solely behind Steph’s outlandish 2016 season at a pleasant 66.9%. Shai additionally tied his personal file for least turnovers per recreation in any 30ppg season at simply 2.2, which he first set two years in the past. Oh, and did I point out that the Thunder are the West’s one-seed for the third straight season?
One of the best argument towards Shai is OKC’s elite supporting solid, because the Thunder nonetheless have a +4.8 web ranking with him off the ground. Nevertheless, they’re additionally an absurd +12.3 with Shai on and Chet and JDub each off, and OKC has arguably been essentially the most banged-up crew amongst the MVP candidates. The case in favor of Wemby and Jokic is that they each have bigger on/off splits than Shai does. Nevertheless, Jokic’s lack of defensive effort is inconceivable to miss, and whereas the Alien has a case as essentially the most impactful participant per minute, it doesn’t make up for the 400-minute distinction between him and Shai (as proven by their total plus-minus, with Shai at 788 and Wemby at 682).
If the award solely takes into consideration the final three months, then Wemby and Luka would have a case. If it solely takes into consideration the primary two months, then Jokic would have a case. Sadly for these three, MVP encompasses all the common season, and none of them persistently performed at their greatest for the entire 12 months. Shai did, which is why he’s the clear MVP.
Defensive Participant of the Yr: Victor Wembanyama
Runner-ups: Chet Holmgren, Rudy Gobert
Uhh… can we even want to debate this? It’s clearly Trae Younger — his defensive prowess compelled Ben Simmons into a professional fisherman!
Jokes apart, this 12 months’s DPOY is the obvious award decide since Steph’s 2016 unanimous MVP season, and Wemby ought to be the unanimous decide right here too. San Antonio’s 105.1 defensive ranking in Wemby’s minutes is 2.2 factors decrease than OKC’s this season, and lots of already think about the Thunder to be one of many biggest defensive groups ever. In contrast to OKC, although, the Spurs solely have one different elite defender in Citadel, and the numbers bear that out too: San Antonio has a 117.4 DRTG with out Wemby, which might rank twenty first within the league.
Surprisingly, Wemby isn’t the best possible in anybody rim safety stat, however that’s as a result of opponents solely take pictures across the basket once they’re considerably assured he can’t block it, and oftentimes, he nonetheless does. The extra revealing quantity is the drop in opponent rim makes an attempt when Wemby is on/off the ground: with him taking part in, 31.7% of opposing pictures are on the basket (forty ninth percentile), which drops to simply 26.2% when he performs (94th percentile). Opponents are additionally making simply 60.8% (93rd percentile) of their pictures across the rim, even with these being very selective makes an attempt.
Wemby is effectively on his technique to changing into maybe the best defensive participant ever, and he’s simply getting began.
Coach of the Yr: Joe Mazzulla
Runner-ups: JB Bickerstaff, Mitch Johnson
I didn’t have a lot hesitation selecting Mazzulla over Bickerstaff, although the latter may be very deserving of this award too. Finally, the choice got here all the way down to the next query: which crew exceeded expectations extra by the coach placing gamers in the most effective place to succeed?
To me, the reply is Mazzulla. Boston misplaced 3/5 starters and their complete frontcourt rotation in a single offseason, and none of their core gamers are younger sufficient to make the leaps that the Detroit stars have. Mazzulla has gone from operating 5-out with Porzingis and Horford to designing a scheme with a rolling large within the center, whereas additionally rotating a bunch of former “who he play for?” guys to fill Tatum’s absence. Bickerstaff has carried out a fantastic job maximizing Duren’s improved offensive recreation and function gamers like Jenkins too, however Mazzulla main Boston to 56 wins following their roster turnover is solely extra spectacular.
Most Improved Participant: Nickeil Alexander-Walker
Runner-ups: Keyonte George, Neemias Queta
NAW is the epitome of what this award is for: a participant effectively into their profession who takes an sudden leap when everybody thought his function would by no means change. Sure, he’s been given extra duty in Atlanta, however the Wolves had been additionally determined for an additional lead guard to play alongside Ant, they usually moved on from NAW particularly as a result of he by no means confirmed the flexibility to be that man.
This 12 months, he’s greater than doubled his scoring common from final season, going from 9.4 to twenty.8 factors per recreation. Remarkably, NAW has elevated his effectivity too, and never by just a little: his 61% true taking pictures is means above the positional common, and his earlier profession common was simply 55.7%. Atlanta additionally has a +4.6 web ranking with him taking part in, which drops to -1.8 when he sits, with most of that change coming from offense. Furthermore, NAW has nonetheless been a superb perimeter defender even with the elevated offensive duties, taking part in at an All-Star degree on each ends of the court docket.
Rookie of the Yr: Cooper Flagg
Runner-ups: Kon Knueppel, VJ Edgecombe
One of many tightest award races in current historical past, ROY is actually a coin toss. Nevertheless, in case you base this off superior metrics, it’s not even shut. Kon is means forward as a result of his three-point quantity and effectivity, and he’s additionally been an underrated playmaker who’s been Charlotte’s connector at occasions. Main the league in threes made as a rookie is completely bonkers, and Kon’s already probably the most environment friendly gamers at his place with a real taking pictures of 63.3%.
With that mentioned, my decide is Flagg as a result of his season has been simply as spectacular, and I view him as the higher participant — not simply transferring ahead, however proper now too. Sure, his 54.8% true taking pictures is means beneath not simply Kon’s, but additionally the league common, however I believe he’s a greater participant in each aspect of the sport exterior of taking pictures. Now, the hole between their taking pictures is way bigger than the hole in each different ability that Flagg has a bonus in, however I additionally consider that Kon went to the best possible crew for his particular skillset whereas Flagg went to the worst: the Hornets can be simply nearly as good with Flagg in Kon’s place, whereas Kon wouldn’t be on this race if he had been on the Mavs.
Once more, each gamers are completely deserving of this award and this decide was by far essentially the most tough one to resolve on. I flip-flopped 10 occasions whereas writing and will remorse this selection within the subsequent hour, however as of this precise second, I’m going with Flagg.
Sixth Man of the Yr: Jaime Jaquez Jr.
Runner-ups: Keldon Johnson, Naz Reid
No offense to Jaime Jaquez, however this is among the worst sixth-man crops in current reminiscence. All different candidates both didn’t play sufficient minutes (off the bench) or had lackluster counting and/or superior stats. Keldon Johnson, for example, performed all 82 video games, however I didn’t even suppose he was essentially the most impactful bench participant on the Spurs. That belongs to Dylan Harper, who I might’ve picked if he performed extra minutes. Reed Sheppard additionally lacks the minutes, whereas Naz Reid isn’t as well-rounded a participant as Jaquez is. The latter is the one participant who has considerably eye-popping stats (15/5/5) with optimistic plus/minus splits whereas additionally taking part in sufficient minutes.
Congrats Miami! You possibly can grasp a brand new banner beside the #heatculture and #bam83 ones.
All NBA First Group: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic, Victor Wembanyama, Luka Doncic, Kawhi Leonard
Kawhi has been the most effective participant this 12 months exterior of the 4 MVP candidates, which is why he snagged that closing First-Group spot over Jaylen Brown. It was a tough choice, although, given the Clippers’ turbulent season (and their tree planting), however Kawhi deserves nearly all of the credit score for LA ending above .500, together with assist from Harden in the beginning of the 12 months. In the meantime, I might attribute Boston’s overachieving extra to Mazzulla’s genius than Brown’s play for the reason that Celtics are good regardless of who’s been on the ground, although I’d additionally don’t have any drawback with the latter ending on the First-Group given his borderline MVP-level play this 12 months.
All NBA Second Group: Donovan Mitchell, Jalen Brunson, Jamal Murray, Jaylen Brown, Kevin Durant
Jamal Murray deserves a particular shoutout. Opposite to widespread perception, he by no means deserved to be an All-Star in earlier seasons, and was overrated as a result of taking part in above his standard degree throughout the 2020 and 2023 playoff runs. Nevertheless, he’s lastly performed at that degree for a full common season, being one half of essentially the most dynamic offensive duo within the league (Denver has a 130.6 ORTG with him and Jokic taking part in, the best in league historical past) whereas additionally protecting the Nuggets’ offense afloat with out Jokic (116.5, 61st percentile). Murray can also be having essentially the most environment friendly high-volume three-point taking pictures season within the league by making 43.5% on 7.5 makes an attempt per recreation, vaulting his true taking pictures to 62.2% — the primary time he’s been above 60%.
All NBA Third Group: Jalen Duren, Jalen Johnson, Tyrese Maxey, Chet Holmgren, Deni Avdija
The Third-Group consists of first-time All-NBA choices. Maxey leads the league in minutes per recreation and is fifth in total factors, Chet will possible end second in DPOY voting, and Johnson is averaging 22/10/8 as the primary possibility on a playoff crew. In the meantime, Duren went on a rampage after I foolishly left him off my All-Star crew, averaging 23 and 10 with Cade out. I’m nonetheless undecided if he will be the second possibility on a real title crew, however there’s little question that he’s blossomed into one of many 30 greatest gamers within the league and continues to be simply 22. The final spot was a toss-up between KAT, Deni, and Toronto’s personal, Scotland Barnes. KAT has by far the most effective superior numbers and in addition improved his protection throughout the second half of the season, whereas Scottie is arguably essentially the most well-rounded participant of the three. I in the end went with Deni, although, since he was primarily a one-man offense in Portland, averaging 24/7/7 and main the Blazers to an above-average 116.7 ORTG with him on, which drops to 110.8 when he sits — equal to the Twenty eighth-ranked offense within the league.
This week, please try Marilyn’s common season recap! The Spurs have been one of many league’s most nice surprises this 12 months and are able to get their first style of the playoffs.
All stats courtesy of Cleansing the Glass and NBA Stats.
