March 24, 2026, 4:01 p.m. CT
Only three weeks remain in the 2025-26 regular season. That means every game left is magnified even further. We’re witnessing an arms race between the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs at the top of the West standings.
Both teams are a combined 31-3 since the All-Star break. The Thunder currently have the longest active win streak at a dozen in a row. That type of NBA dominance usually garners some award noise. With the top prize, of course, being the MVP trophy.
Barring something wild, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will win back-to-back MVP awards. He’s been the favorite all season. If the Thunder lock up the NBA’s best record again, the real question will be if he can become the second unanimous winner ever — behind 2015-16 Stephen Curry.
But Victor Wembanyama is part of a glut of alternate candidates who have made some noise. He was the latest flavor of the week as a potential rival to usurp Gilgeous-Alexander. He carried the baton from Luka Doncic after a hot weekend had Los Angeles folks salivating at a late run for the prestigious trophy.
Wembanyama has never been the type to bite his tongue. If he has a thought in his mind, he’ll say it without hesitation. That’s what makes the 22-year-old such an attraction — aside from the obvious one-for-one talent he possesses.
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That’s why when Wembanyama was asked about his three bullet points for his MVP campaign, everybody’s ears perked up like a bunny. While he talked about his defensive impact and how he alters San Antonio’s offense for the better, his second point was what caught most folks’ attention.
“We came close to sweeping OKC this season,” Wembanyama said. “We dominated them three times with their real team, a fourth time with more rotation players.”
OK. I see you, Wembanyama. I respect him for cutting through any PR noise to deliver a real answer. To mention the Spurs’ 4-1 record against the Oklahoma City Thunder is pretty spicy. I’m sure he knew as soon as he uttered the words, social media would go wild.
Sitting on the NBA throne all year, the Thunder have looked every bit the part of a team that could win another Larry O’Brien trophy. Their only weakness? The Spurs. They handed them four losses this season. No other team has more than two. San Antonio’s size and athleticism have made OKC look slow in its five matchups.
Can’t be too mad for Wembanyama believing in himself. He has a strong chance to finish as an MVP runner-up. That’s quite the feat to accomplish in just your third season. Gilgeous-Alexander will likely take home the award, but there’s no denying how his second bullet point peeled back the curtain on how highly the Spurs think of the Thunder.