NBA Summer Forecast 2025-26: Predictions for every major NBA award - ESPN

Which players will take home some hardware for the NBA's major awards this season?

Last season, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander became the first player since LeBron James in 2015 to win Finals MVP and league MVP in the same season. This season, it'll be another tight race to the top of the awards list, not only for MVP but for other major awards as well.

Highly-touted No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg is primed to take home Rookie of the Year. But in a talented rookie class, he's sure to face some challengers, including San Antonio Spurs' Dylan Harper, who can take home the award for the franchise for the third season in a row.

Plus, keep your eye on the race for Defensive Player of the Year, as last season's front-runner, Victor Wembanyama, returns to the court after missing the 65-game threshold for eligibility.

We asked our Summer Forecast panel — a group of NBA experts, including reporters, editors and analysts — to rank its top three choices for the NBA's six major awards, with a first-place vote receiving five points, a second-place vote receiving three and a third-place vote receiving one.

Here are the results:

Note: Our 2025-26 NBA Summer Forecast continues Wednesday with win-loss predictions for the Eastern and Western conferences. On Monday, we revealed our picks for the teams that will have the biggest turnaround this season and the teams that will drop off and answered some of the season's biggest questions.

1. Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets: 83 points

2. Luka Doncic, Los Angeles Lakers: 62 points

3. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder: 46 points

T4. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks/Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves: 9 points

5. Kevin Durant, Houston Rockets: 8 points

Either voter fatigue wears off