The NBA will announce the Most Valuable Player on Sunday at 7:30 p.m. ET on Amazon Prime, just ahead of Game 7 between the Cavaliers and Pistons, the league said in a release.
The finalists are Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic and Victor Wembanyama.
Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder to a league-best 64 wins while averaging 31.1 points, 6.6 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 1.4 steals in 68 games. He also shot a career-high 55.3 percent from the field.
Jokić, a three-time winner, is chasing his fourth MVP after posting another historic season. The Nuggets star averaged a triple-double for the second straight year, finishing with 27.7 points, 12.9 rebounds and a career-best 10.7 assists across 70 games.
Wembanyama, meanwhile, continued his rapid rise. The Spurs big man averaged 25.0 points, 11.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 3.1 blocks in 64 games and was named Defensive Player of the Year. He would become the first French player to win MVP.
The timing of the announcement is interesting. The Spurs open the Western Conference finals against the Thunder on Monday, a detail that could hint at Gilgeous-Alexander as the favorite, as noted by the Associated Press.
Last season, Gilgeous-Alexander was named MVP on May 21 and received the trophy before Game 2 of the conference finals in Oklahoma City the following night.
Looking for the latest NBA Insider News & Rumors?
Be sure to follow Hoops Wire on TWITTER and FACEBOOK for breaking NBA News and Rumors for all 30 teams!
