2026 NBA Awards - National Basketball Association - ESPN
Check out this database of MVPs, Defensive Players of the Year, Rookies of the Year, and more all on ESPN.com's NBA Awards page.
www.espn.comHere’s the latest on the 2026 NBA Awards race.
Key highlights
- MVP finalists and winner likely occurred with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander widely projected as the frontrunner in many early-2026 discussions, edging out peers in the final voting. Finalists and outcomes were reported by multiple outlets as the regular season concluded.[3][4]
- Rookie of the Year discussions centered on a pair of first-year players, with Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Deni Avdija among the names discussed for various awards, and Cooper Flagg in some early rosters as a notable rookie contender entering the season’s end.[4]
- Other major awards (Defensive Player of the Year, Most Improved Player, Sixth Man of the Year) were anticipated to hinge on late-season performances and team success, as reflected in pre-award coverage and finalist announcements from NBA media outlets.[3][4]
- Finalists for multiple categories were publicly announced around mid-late April 2026, with coverage noting where voting and finalists would be revealed on NBC/NBA platforms and at halftime of key playoff-related games.[3]
What to expect next
- The NBA typically announces the full winners of the major awards in late April or early May, following the regular season and initial playoff rounds. Expect official announcements from NBA/NBC or the league’s awards pages, with postseason coverage providing the final balloting results and trophy presentation details.[8][3]
- For a precise, up-to-the-minute list of winners and finalists, you can check:
- NBA’s official awards pages and season-ending press releases
- Major outlets like Sporting News and ESPN which publish complete winners lists after announcements
- Reputable sports news sites that recap the awards with voting details and finalist breakdowns
If you’d like, I can pull the exact final winners and provide a concise summary with voting details and finalist lists from the latest sources. I can also create a quick comparison table of the likely finalists across the major awards (MVP, ROY, DPOY, MIP, Sixth Man) and note who won each, once you confirm you want the most current, sourced update. Citation: official award coverage and post-season summaries from NBA/NBC and Sporting News, which tracked finalists and winners in April 2026.[4][3]