{"id":689847,"date":"2026-03-31T12:50:32","date_gmt":"2026-03-31T12:50:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/689847\/"},"modified":"2026-03-31T12:50:32","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T12:50:32","slug":"2025-26-nba-awards-picking-every-race-except-mvp","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/689847\/","title":{"rendered":"2025-26 NBA Awards: Picking Every Race Except MVP"},"content":{"rendered":"

NBA<\/a>NBA<\/a>Victor Wembanyama has already broken one race beyond repair. Everything else is still up for debate.\"\"Getty Images\/Ringer illustration\"\"<\/a>By Michael Pina<\/a>March 31, 12:38 pm UTC \u2022 16 min<\/p>\n

Is it too early to fill out an NBA awards ballot? Probably. Do I reserve the right to tinker with anything written in this piece two weeks from now when I actually fill out my official ballot? <\/p>\n

This year, with a series of particularly deep and fascinating debates across various areas, we decided to split our awards column up into three parts. First up, I\u2019ll hit every major individual award outside of MVP, which I\u2019ll save (and go long on) for our second installment next week. After that,\u00a0 I\u2019ll break down my three All-NBA teams, along with the All-Defensive and All-Rookie teams. There\u2019s almost too much to chew on. What a season! So without further ado, let\u2019s dive in.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Defensive Player of the YearVictor Wembanyama, SpursDerrick White, CelticsScottie Barnes, Raptors<\/p>\n

I mean, what can you say? This dude contorts every single possession to his will in a way that has no precedent. He covers more ground, with more poise, coordination, and timing than the basketball gods should\u2019ve ever allowed. He isn\u2019t just great, he\u2019s transformational\u2014the type of defender who requires fans and media members to use new language when describing what he\u2019s able to do.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In the same way we collectively embraced the term \u201cgravity\u201d as a way to understand the totality of Steph Curry\u2019s offensive impact, Wembanyama\u2019s inverse effect on defense needs to be acknowledged more explicitly. Let\u2019s call it “anti-gravity, a way to track exactly how aware ball handlers are of Wemby\u2019s location at all times, and how important it is for them to stay as far away from him as they possibly can. The numbers are off the charts yet still seem superficial.\u00a0<\/p>\n

NBC play-by-play announcer Michael Grady calls them \u201cneverminds\u201d\u2014hapless drives towards the paint that are voluntarily cut short by Wemby\u2019s presence. It\u2019s a perfect phrase; I find myself writing it in my notebook about 10 times whenever I watch a Spurs game. Here\u2019s a recent example against the Heat:\u00a0<\/p>\n

Wembanyama rebuffs Jaime Jaquez Jr. twice before he tracks Norm Powell\u2019s drive and blocks his reverse layup on the other side of the rim. It\u2019s not an exaggeration to say that no one else in the history of basketball could have pulled this off.\u00a0<\/p>\n

That possession alone pretty much settles any debate over Defensive Player of the Year. This award is so obvious that even the House of Representatives would pass it unanimously. With apologies to every other credible candidate right now, what Wembanyama is doing\u2014in a league that\u2019s constantly tweaking how it’s officiated to make life easier for offensive players\u2014has never been seen before.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Wemby ranks first in every defensive catch-all metric, and when he\u2019s on the court San Antonio\u2019s defense holds opponents to an efficiency rating that\u2019s about 10 points per 100 possessions below league average. (For the sake of comparison, the Oklahoma City Thunder\u2019s defensive rating is currently 9.09 points per 100 below league average, which is the best mark of the play-by-play era<\/a>.) But Wemby\u2019s absurd numbers pale in comparison to the visceral impact he has when you watch him insert the fear of God into other professional basketball players:\u00a0<\/p>\n

The most effective offenses are quickly able to make smart reads at the rim. On drives into the paint, can they get off a high-percentage shot or should they spray it out to the 3-point line? Wemby single-handedly cuts those options in half. Challenging him at the basket is downright irresponsible and essentially a live-ball turnover\u2014he\u2019ll tap floaters off the glass, to himself, and then spark San Antonio\u2019s offense the other way. And when he volleyball spikes your shot out of bounds, it\u2019s probably because he\u2019s either extremely bored, wants to stop the action and catch his breath, or is intent on sending an unsubtle reminder of exactly what you\u2019re up against:\u00a0<\/p>\n

It seems crazy to view all those blocks as the tip of an iceberg\u2014he has about 200 more than any other player since he entered the league in 2024\u2014but they barely count for a whisker of Wembanyama\u2019s impact. Thanks to his existence, game plans change, sets implode as they unfurl, and shots disappear before they materialize.<\/p>\n

The Spurs do a terrific job keeping him near the paint, too; whenever possible they\u2019ll pre-switch if his man goes up to the perimeter. And when he\u2019s defending pick-and-rolls in a drop, no one is better at keeping the screener and ball handler in front, allowing teammates to stay home on 3-point shooters while he snuffs out the action.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The gap between Wemby and the field on defense is more or less what Curry enjoyed as a 3-point shooter 10 years ago. Every strategic decision is manipulated by his authority. Enjoy trying to score on that for the next decade!<\/p>\n

As for the mere mortals in this race, White is the smartest off-ball defender in the NBA. He\u2019s always in the correct spot, single-handedly discouraging Plan A\u2019s by simultaneously speeding up and slowing down offenses that really have to think through whatever action they\u2019re trying to run. White is instinctive, prepared, quick as hell, and always willing to sacrifice his body.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The only player who has a more positive impact on his team\u2019s defense is Wembanyama. Boston allows 10.7 fewer points per 100 possessions when he\u2019s on the court. (He\u2019s also eighth in defensive estimated plus-minus, and second among all players who average at least 30 minutes per game<\/a>.)<\/p>\n

Coming into this season, one of the biggest reasons I was so down on the Celtics was their unproven frontcourt. Without Kristaps Porzingis, Luke Kornet, Al Horford, and Jayson Tatum (not to mention Jrue Holiday), would a normally stout defense melt into a layup line? It seemed very possible! Instead, Boston\u2019s defense miraculously allows the fewest paint points per game<\/a>. White is the biggest reason why.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Opponents shoot just 54.9 percent at the rim when White is the closest defender. That\u2019s fourth-lowest in the league, per Sportradar<\/a> (Wemby is fifth). Even more important is how reliably White keeps those shots from ever materializing in the first place. White ranks third in a stat provided by Bball-Index that measures the rate at which opposing offenses shoot at the basket when a player is and is not in the game. I covered some examples a couple months ago in this piece<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In addition to protecting the paint better than 99 percent of the league, Boston\u2019s 6-foot-4 combo guard also ranks fourth in \u201cfast\u201d closeouts, according to Sportradar<\/a>. Remember when Jayson Tatum blocked Lu Dort at the rim last week? Keep your eyes on White throughout the possession. He\u2019s everywhere, doing everything:\u00a0<\/p>\n

That\u2019s exactly who White is. He isn\u2019t a lockdown defender, but he impacts the game so much more than anyone who spends most of their time on the ball can be.\u00a0<\/p>\n

As for the final spot here, I could\u2019ve gone with Chet Holmgren or Rudy Gobert. Both deserve consideration and will land on many, many ballots. But I went with Barnes, who might be the closest thing to a flawless all-around defender we have in the league.<\/p>\n

Toronto\u2019s franchise player does it all. There\u2019s rim protection, rebounding, random double-teams, gap help, lightning-fast closeouts, screen navigation, banging on the block, a crap ton of steals and deflections, full-court pressure, and, most importantly, a night-in, night-out dedication to accepting the toughest matchup. It\u2019s a wide range of skill sets, sizes, and tendencies to be responsible for, ranging from Jalen Brunson to Giannis Antetokounmpo to Michael Porter Jr. (just to name a few). Who else is doing that effectively? Making the opponent\u2019s primary option work way harder than they normally do, with minimal help?<\/p>\n

Barnes ranks in the 86th percentile in matchup difficulty<\/a> and the 92nd percentile in defensive position versatility. Both those sound about right. He\u2019s quick, physical, long, versatile, and cerebral, with pickup points that are comically high on the floor. Wemby is the only player with more <\/a> but statistical analysis only gets you so far. Just watch any Raptors game and you\u2019ll see him do something special\u2014like denying Ant on a handoff and blowing Minnesota\u2019s whole play up:\u00a0<\/p>\n

If you were to engineer an elite all-around defender in a lab, someone who could guard anywhere on the floor, it would look exactly like Scottie Barnes.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Nickeil Alexander-Walker steals the ball from Jaylen Brown<\/p>\n

Getty ImagesMost Improved PlayerJalen Duren, PistonsNickeil Alexander-Walker, HawksRyan Rollins, Bucks<\/p>\n

Nailed it!<\/a> Duren\u2019s breakout fourth season has completely changed Detroit\u2019s trajectory. At just 22 years old, he\u2019s become so much more reliable in almost every facet of the game: fewer turnovers, dumb fouls, and defensive mistakes, while assuming more responsibility on offense, handling the ball on the perimeter, setting a million screens, and creating efficient looks for himself.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Having made his first All-Star team as the second-leading scorer on the Eastern Conference\u2019s runaway no. 1 seed, Duren is basically averaging and 10 rebounds in 28 minutes per game. Last year he ranked 153rd in estimated plus-minus. This year he\u2019s 10th<\/a>. The pick-and-roll chemistry with Cade Cunningham is still sublime\u2014Cunningham has assisted 106 of Duren\u2019s baskets at the rim, which is over 35 more than any other teammate combination<\/a> in the league\u2014but, importantly, his true shooting percentage when Cade is on the bench doesn\u2019t dip despite the percentage of his buckets that are assisted dropping by 21.4 percent<\/a>!\u00a0<\/p>\n

A bunch of those are putbacks, but Duren has been more assertive looking for his shot within the flow of Detroit\u2019s offense. He\u2019s more nimble than a cinderblock should be, with evolving post moves and a terrifying face-up game that have helped him nearly double his free throw attempts. When Duren seals his man on a duck-in, the play is essentially over:<\/p>\n

Within the spirit of this award (according to my own definition, which excludes everyone in the first three seasons of their career), Duren\u2019s meaningful growth deserves to be recognized for all the ways it\u2019s impacted winning on a team that\u2019s won 70 percent of its games when he takes the floor.\u00a0<\/p>\n

As for my runner-up pick, let me begin with a quick aside: Tim Connelly is a shrewd basketball architect who\u2019s helped build two different title contenders. But man, losing Alexander-Walker really hurts. The steps that led to his exit from Minnesota are even worse.\u00a0<\/p>\n

First, the Wolves surrendered a future first-round pick to take Rob Dillingham eighth in the 2024 draft. Then, this past summer, facing a tax crunch, the Wolves decided to sign Naz Reid\u2014and not Alexander-Walker\u2014to a contract extension, partially due to the assumption that Dillingham would need more playing time in a crowded backcourt. After that plan crashed and burned, Minnesota had to fill their hole by giving the rest of its second-round picks to the Chicago Bulls for Ayo Dosunmu. It\u2019s a series of loosely connected decisions that have been somewhat of a disaster\u2014particularly for an organization that tried to trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo at the deadline.<\/p>\n

Hindsight is 20\/20, but Minnesota could have just, like, not done any of that, kept NAW and been in a significantly better spot. This dude is averaging 11 more points per game than he did last year with the highest true shooting percentage of his career. The Hawks, Alexander-Walker\u2019s fourth team in seven seasons, brought him in thinking he could effectively complement Trae Young off the bench. After about a week, he was starting. On a team that\u2019s lost just three games since the All-Star break, NAW\u2019s splits are 51\/45\/95. For the season<\/a>, only Tyrese Maxey and LeBron James have scored more fast-break points.\u00a0<\/p>\n

All in all, the Hawks got more than they bargained for: Someone who can consistently get to the rim off a ball screen, with a significantly tighter handle and more sophisticated footwork than he was able to show in Minnesota. NAW has a filthy hesitation dribble, explosive first step, and a permagreen light to put it all on display:<\/p>\n

He gets to his spots and can absorb contact in the paint without losing his touch or balance. The creativity has been eye-opening<\/a>, the left hand has been legendary<\/a>, and the transition attack is in full bloom:<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The fact that he\u2019s done all of it without any letup on the defensive end\u2014he\u2019s still willing and able to pick his man up full court\u2014makes Alexander-Walker\u2019s contract one of the sweeter team-friendly deals in the league. It\u2019s far from guaranteed that we\u2019d see this type of development with the Timberwolves, but that doesn\u2019t make watching the Hawks any less painful for Minnesota fans.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Finally, a candle in this pitch black winter of a season for the Milwaukee Bucks. In his fourth season, Rollins has seen his points and assists per game nearly triple. His true usage is up almost 10 percentage points from a year ago, too, which is the ninth-highest mark in the league according to Bball-Index.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Aside from Giannis, Rollins has the highest on-off point differential on the team<\/a>, and hasn\u2019t seen his 3-point percentage dip despite launching four more attempts per game. I could\u2019ve gone a few different here, but it felt right to throw the Bucks a bone. Assuming they strip their roster for parts after Giannis gets traded, it\u2019ll be interesting to see if Rollins is worth a first-round pick.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Tim Hardaway Jr. gets the crowd going after making a 3 against the Golden State Warriors<\/p>\n

Getty ImagesSixth Man of the YearJaime Jaquez Jr., HeatKeldon Johnson, SpursTim Hardaway Jr., Nuggets<\/p>\n

He isn\u2019t the face of the Miami Heat franchise, but, to me, Jaquez has best personified its identity this season: a brake-pad-allergic team that\u2019s perpetually rumbling downhill. Only five players have recorded more drives than Jaquez this season, and he\u2019s scored more points in the paint than Luka Doncic, Kawhi Leonard, and Cade Cunningham. Every lane on The Jaime Highway is a passing lane.<\/p>\n

Jaquez has a long way to go before he\u2019s as good as Jimmy Butler, but there\u2019s the outline of a similar offensive weapon. His footwork from the mid-post is diabolical, aided by a bevy of ball fakes that come fast. Jaquez plays off two feet and doesn\u2019t settle. Few are more confident one-on-one, forcing their man to lean one way and then pouncing on the advantage.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Oh, and not to bury the lede, but he leads all bench players in scoring and total assists<\/a>. He\u2019s also in the 96th percentile among all forwards in assist-to-usage ratio. Jaime not only sucks backpedaling defenses into the paint, but he also picks them apart when help comes\u2014only Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Deni Avdija have recorded more passes out of their drives this season<\/a>. The crop in this category is thin, but Jaquez\u2019s bounceback season is one the Heat should be thrilled <\/p>\n

Elsewhere, I have to show some love to Big Body<\/a>. It must be soul-crushing to go up against a team that has Victor Wembanyama on it, and then, whenever he subs out, suddenly have to deal with a man made of rock who takes pleasure crashing into people. The Spurs can beat you in so many ways. The fact that Johnson has clicked this well as the relative elder statesman leftover from a previous rebuild, may be one that ultimately leads them to a championship.\u00a0<\/p>\n

It\u2019s cool that Johnson is hitting nearly 40 percent of his 3s this season. But you know what\u2019s even cooler? Converting over 60 percent of his 2s. Johnson has been excellent moving without the ball, sliding into open pockets, and bulldozing smaller (and bigger) defenders on his treks through the paint.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Upon entering a game, the best sixth men give their team juice. That\u2019s Johnson. The volume of his game stays at 11. He gets up into ball handlers and puts pressure on interior defenders. Johnson\u2019s game isn\u2019t fancy or excessive. He enjoys contact and doesn\u2019t deliberate when there\u2019s space for him to create some.<\/p>\n

I love watching him bark at teammates, too. This is someone who\u2019s been through San Antonio\u2019s rebuild and come out on the other side with an unwillingness to take anything for granted. That rules. He\u2019s probably the seventh player I think of when my brain cycles through reasons why the Spurs may win the championship. But that says way more about the talent on this roster than anything Johnson can\u2019t do. He gives San Antonio the rowdiness it needs.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Finally, lost\u00a0 in all the criticism of Cam Johnson\u2019s persistent discomfort in his first season with the Nuggets, Hardaway has had no such issue. It\u2019s an inversion of my preseason expectations. From day one, THJ understood exactly what Denver wanted and needed him to do. There was no adjustment period.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Hardaway doesn\u2019t hesitate. He doesn\u2019t stop moving. As someone who now has the lowest career turnover rate in NBA history<\/a>, he currently leads the league in turnover rate and has never really come close to being this efficient or threatening. Hardaway ranks fourth in scoring average<\/a> among all players who\u2019ve appeared in at least 50 games off the bench, drilling 41 percent of his 3s, shifting momentum, spacing the floor for Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, and gone above and beyond his veteran\u2019s minimum contract.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Behind their two All-Stars, whenever the Nuggets need a big shot it feels like Hardaway is the one who hits it.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Josh Hart guards Kon Knueppel<\/p>\n

Getty ImagesRookie of the YearKon Knueppel, HornetsCooper Flagg, MavericksVJ Edgecombe, 76ers<\/p>\n

I posted something on social media<\/a> over the weekend that, to was controversial. It shouldn\u2019t be! Knueppel is not only one of the best rookies of all time, but he\u2019s been one of this season\u2019s best players, period\u2014a primary reason why his team is enjoying arguably its most successful year in franchise history<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Yes, Flagg has him beat (negligibly<\/a>) in most counting stats. And if it were 2004, that would mean something. In 2026, we have a better understanding of what actually drives winning. There are no credible impact metrics that have another rookie ranked ahead of Knueppel. According to many of them, it\u2019s not even worth your time to make the comparison<\/a>. He ranks 15th in the entire NBA in estimated wins, which is both a function of all the minutes he\u2019s played and the fact that he is already one of the best shooters in the world.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Knueppel sits in the 96th percentile at his position for points per shot attempt. His gravity opens up an offense that\u2019s ranked first since Christmas<\/a>. And here\u2019s a pretty neat counting stat: The guy leads the league in made 3s. I know we\u2019re choosing Rookie of the Year, but it almost feels unfair to hand it to someone who stepped into the league looking like it was his eighth season.\u00a0<\/p>\n

If you want to make the case for Flagg, please do so understanding that all the incredible \u201cyoungest player ever to do x\u201d accolades mean nothing. Also, please realize that it does not take anything away from a prospect who, by all accounts, is on track to become an all-time great. Flagg is the absolute truth, a phenom with poise, strength, and an incomprehensible amount of confidence.\u00a0<\/p>\n

He was thrust into a crummy situation that has no real precedent. Tasked with effectively replacing a generational talent who should\u2019ve never left in the first place, Flagg saw the man who drafted him fired a few months later. He was asked to start the season out of position and later watched his front office trade Anthony Davis for \u00a0<\/p>\n

Still, there have been flashes of jaw-dropping brilliance. Flagg passes the eye test with flying colors, and his inefficiency is hardly worrisome. In almost any other year, he would be the clear Rookie of the Year. But then his college teammate decided to shatter all preconceived notions of what\u2019s possible in a debut season.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Filling out my ballot, Edgecombe has a game that makes you wish you could time-travel four years into the future. I can\u2019t wait to see what he looks like at 25. For now, though, the third overall pick has looked like someone who should be required to play basketball with a bungee cord attached to his waistband. Add in a fairly reliable outside shot (and a promising in-between game!) and his game just does not seem fair.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Mitch Johnson argues a call during game against Indiana Pacers<\/p>\n

Getty ImagesCoach of the YearJoe Mazzulla, Celtics<\/a>Mitch Johnson, SpursCharles Lee, Hornets<\/p>\n

The Celtics are far and away this season\u2019s most pleasant surprise. I thought they\u2019d end up in the lottery. Instead, they have won 50 games (and counting) and might have the 2-seed locked up. Tactically, Mazzulla deserves plenty of credit. Without Jayson Tatum or anyone in their frontcourt with meaningful NBA experience, the Celtics fundamentally doubled down on their tried-and-true nonnegotiables: Launch every open 3 you get, take care of the ball, don\u2019t foul, and get back in transition. (Teams that commit more live-ball turnovers than their opponents have won only 40.2 percent of their games this season<\/a>. Boston was very good in the turnover department last year but now ranks first.)<\/p>\n

Mazzulla is a realist, though. He reoriented the team\u2019s offensive identity around younger, more dynamic personnel. Compared to last season, the only team that\u2019s made a bigger leap on the offensive glass has been Phoenix, and no team has improved as much as the Celtics when it comes to how often they drive the ball.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

With a starting center who can\u2019t space the floor, Boston generates space with a flurry of off-ball screens and movement. Neemias Queta will set multiple picks from a variety of angles on the same play. (Opposing big men can\u2019t afford to stay in the paint if Queta is freeing Sam Hauser up for an open 3.)<\/p>\n

Despite losing some of the NBA\u2019s most reliable and imposing defenders, the Celtics have allowed the fewest paint points in the entire league<\/a>. This is miracle work (and a huge reason why Derrick White is on my DPOY ballot).<\/p>\n

But great coaching is about more than X\u2019s and O\u2019s. How many people in Mazzulla\u2019s position would\u2019ve let their team buy into the notion of a gap year? How many could\u2019ve rallied a group that lost multiple Hall of Famers from last season\u2019s roster, including its best player, who suffered a traumatic injury? Mazzulla doesn\u2019t just deserve a trophy; he deserves recognition for crafting one of the better seasons any head coach has had in recent memory.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Elsewhere, everyone saw Victor Wembanyama coming. But nobody saw the San Antonio Spurs going 10-5 when he didn\u2019t play, boasting a top-five defense and offense, and going months-long stretches without losing a game.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Johnson has gotten everyone to buy into a role that\u2019s made their success possible. That includes Dylan Harper, a no. 2 pick who could\u2019ve won Rookie of the Year if drafted into a different situation but instead watched a dozen rookies log more minutes than him. That includes Harrison Barnes, a proud veteran who was asked to come off the bench because the starting lineup needed more potent 3-point shooting. That includes De\u2019Aaron Fox, an All-Star point guard smack-dab in the middle of his prime who\u2019s posting his lowest usage rate since his sophomore season.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Spurs rank second in spread differential<\/a>, which stamps them as a bona fide surprise. Johnson is a huge reason for that.\u00a0<\/p>\n

For my final spot, I talked to Lee a couple of weeks ago for this story about Charlotte\u2019s remarkable in-season turnaround<\/a>. It pretty much explains why he belongs here.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander jumps on a fake by Daniss Jenkins<\/p>\n

Getty ImagesClutch Player of the YearShai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder<\/a>Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder<\/a>Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder<\/a>\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Michael Pina<\/p>\n

<\/a>Michael Pina is a senior staff writer at The Ringer who covers the NBA.