The 2025-26 NBA regular season is nearing an end and award races are beginning to heat up, including the race for the MVP award.
Of course, the frontrunner to win this season’s MVP award is Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexader as he tries to win back-to-back MVPs.
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Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander drives to the basket as San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama defends.Scott Wachter-Imagn Images
(Scott Wachter-Imagn Images)
Despite this, others have begun to put pressure on the star guard, including San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama.
For Wembanyama, he has put together an incredible season thus far and he has helped San Antonio turn things around this season as they currently sit second in the Western Conference standings with a 48-18 record.
Victor Wembanyama Continues Climb up NBA MVP Ladder in Latest Rankings
The superstar center has also been on a tear recently during the Spurs’ recent hot stretch, which has caused him to climb this week’s NBA MVP Ladder.
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San Antonio Spurs forward forward Victor Wembanyama (1)Scott Wachter-Imagn Images
(Scott Wachter-Imagn Images)
In Shaun Powell’s latest MVP Ladder on the NBA App, Wembanyama sits second in the rankings behind Shai after passing Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic in this week’s update.
“He’s averaging 28 points and 11 rebounds with 4.2 blocks in March and is impacting games more intensely because his minutes have increased,” Powell wrote. “The Spurs did their best to preserve Wembanyama for much of the season because of injuries and to keep him fresh for the stretch run. That strategy has worked — the ankle injury isn’t considered serious — and now Wembanyama is being unleashed upon the league.”
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Of course, Wembanyama did miss Thursday’s loss to the Nuggets due to an ankle injury, which was his first missed game since early January, though the injury is not expected to sideline the Spurs star for an extended period.
With Wembanyama continuing to stay healthy in the second half of the season, he has put himself into the conversation to win this season’s MVP award as he has been a dominant force on both ends of the court for the Spurs.
San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1)Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images
(Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images)
This season, the 22-year-old star big man is averaging 24.2 points, 11.1 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.0 steals and 3.0 blocks per game while shooting 50.6% from the field and 36.0% from three.
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With his recent torrid stretch, Wembanyama is right on the heels of Shai in the race for this season’s MVP award, though he will have to finish the season strong if he wants to win the award for the first time in his young career.
San Antonio Spurs center Victor WembanyamaBill Streicher-Imagn Images
(Bill Streicher-Imagn Images)
Wembanyama will also have to continue to stay healthy to end the season as he can miss only two more games to remain above the NBA’s 65-game requirement for him to win any major award, including both the MVP and Defensive Player of the Year.
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If he is able to do so, the Spurs’ star could find himself winning both awards this season with his sights set on helping San Antonio make a run at a championship as well.
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Mar 13, 2026, where it first appeared in the NBA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.