NBA MVP 2026 Post-All-Star Betting Odds & Best Bets

NBA seasons these days are a bit of a slog. There’s still 82 games, but with players aware of their own mortality and health now more than ever, most nights won’t see both teams trotting out their strongest lineup. However, we’re past the All-Star break now. That means teams and players have to start locking in for real.

That means less injury management/rest games missed by the biggest stars in the league. Specifically those going for this year’s MVP trophy. And it looks like availability will already be playing a major factor in this year’s MVP race anyhow. For those who may have forgotten: a few years ago, the NBA instituted a 65-game minimum for players to be eligible to receive major end of season awards.

Read on to check out the favorites and their NBA betting odds to win the 2026 NBA MVP trophy. We’ve also included our best bet as well as a dark horse candidate from among the top contenders.

NBA MVP 2026 Post-All-Star Break Betting Odds & Best Bets

All betting odds provided by Betway.

The Favorite: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, G, Oklahoma City Thunder (-250)

Unlike some seasons, there are more than enough deserving options for the award in 2026. And yet, it’s the same guy topping the odds board as per usual. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is still the best player on the team with the best record. But is that all that matters?

Cade Cunningham’s Pistons are just a game or two off of OKC’s pace, and same goes for the Spurs in the West. If OKC doesn’t have the best record, SGA’s numbers start to look very similar to those of the rest of the pack, making these short -250 odds very strange and arguably unplayable.

Our Best Bet: Cade Cunningham, G, Detroit Lions (+850)

Another thing working against SGA here is that he, like most of the rest of the top contenders, has already missed a big chunk of the season. He has missed 11 of his team’s first 60 games. That means he can only miss six more over the final 22 if he’s going to be eligible. That’s far from a guarantee considering SGA missed OKC’s most recent game and is still dealing with an abdominal ailment.

The rest of the field are each in a worse situation than that—except Cade Cunningham. Detroit’s engine has only missed six games this year, meaning he has an 11-game cushion over the final 25. Meanwhile, Luka Doncic has just five games to spare, Victor Wembanyama has only three, and Nikola Jokic is right on the precipice with just a one-game buffer.

If Cunningham can maintain his 25-6-10 pace and lead his Pistons to the best record in the league over the final 25 games, he’ll have a great chance to steal this award.

Dark Horse Candidate: Victor Wembanyama, C, San Antonio Spurs (+2,500)

As we mentioned, Wembanyama is at risk of going below the 65-game limit. He can only afford to miss three of his team’s final 23 outings. But if he meets the threshold and a couple of these other guys don’t reach it as we expect, he’ll have a great chance. His Spurs could easily surpass OKC for the best record in the league, as they sit just 1.5 games back with 20-25 to play.

The Frenchman is a shoo-in for Defensive Player of the Year as he leads the league with 2.8 blocks a game. He also averages 1+ steals per game while grabbing 11.2 boards per game, top five in the NBA. His shooting efficiency is excellent as well. Offense, defense, efficiency, team success; what more could they ask for from Wemby?