MVP: Victor Wembanyama
Although Wembanyama finished a distant third in MVP voting a year ago, I expect him to ardently challenge the reigning two-time winner, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, this season. He is already the league’s most transformational defender, both rerouting shots away from the rim and altering the ones opponents do take there at rarified levels. Of similar importance, he is also a dominant defensive rebounder to punctuate possessions and ensure his fly-swatting ways are of both highlight-reel and tangible value.
Offensively, he is an unmatched aerial outlet who improves the San Antonio Spurs’ volume and efficiency in the two most favorable spots for shots: at the rim and from the corners beyond the arc. Entering year four and still only 22, I anticipate he’ll fine-tune his offensive decision-making and add a bit of core strength (which go hand in hand) to better spotlight his passing talent and spike his scoring volume and efficiency.
It’s absolutely possible Gilgeous-Alexander wins a third straight MVP trophy but the gap between these players (in either direction one prefers) was basically negligible by the end of 2025-26. I’ll bank on the Frenchman well away from his prime to take a larger step forward than the (similarly excellent) 28-year-old and add another trophy to his now-growing collection.
Rookie of the Year: Cameron Boozer
While the Memphis Grizzlies won’t likely nestle themselves near the top of the West, Boozer is entering a pretty favorable context to begin his NBA career. The Grizzlies sport malleable guard play with Ty Jerome, Cam Spencer, Scottie Pippen Jr. and Javon Small, all of whom instill varying levels of shooting, dribble penetration and playmaking; I like the potential two-man connections each can offer Boozer.
They tout complementary wing play with Cedric Coward and Jaylen Wells, both of whom are viable spot-up shooters, off-ball movers and point-of-attack defenders; I remain intrigued by Coward’s ball-handling development, too. The front-court depth around Boozer in Zach Edey, Isaiah Stewart and Quinten Post is wide-ranging and useful; each guy provides a different look to pair alongside Boozer.
As for Boozer himself, his own flexibility pairs aptly with Memphis’ versatile rotation. He can mash mismatches on the block. He can flare beyond the arc as a pick-and-pop screener. He can initiate inverted ball-screens. He swiftly processes advantages to find teammates for high-quality looks. He crashes the offensive glass for second chances.
His feel for space, playmaking vision, low-post footwork and adroit ball-handling render him a chameleon offensively. That shapeshifting suits him and the Grizzlies’ roster well. Plus, I think his hierarchy is less muddied than his contemporaries, AJ Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson, who are joining teams with established stars and faces. I just expect a little simpler and more beneficial immediate assimilation for Boozer, on top of his tremendous skill-set.
Defensive Player of the Year: Victor Wembanyama
In a league full of wondrous defensive players, Wembyana is firmly entrenched as its North Star. As I laid out during my MVP pick, he blankets the paint and rebounds the ball at elite rates. His length is uniquely imposing and functional.
Despite his immediate brilliance, he still has much to improve upon with pick-and-roll positioning and footwork, discipline against shot fakes and verticality on contests. Refining some of those areas will further distance him from other DPOY contenders and continue vaulting him up the all-time ranks defensively.
If he’s eligible and plays anything like he did last season, he should sleepwalk into this award.
Most Improved Player: Ty Jerome
Between his 2024-25 breakout and abbreviated, albeit excellent, 2025-26, Jerome has already established himself as a very good NBA player. But last year’s Most Improved winner, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, spent years helping the Minnesota Timberwolves win many, many games before a move to the Atlanta Hawks presented him a grander role offensively and he flourished.
Jerome joined the Memphis Grizzlies last offseason and averaged 19.7 points (61.6 percent true shooting) and 5.7 assists per game yet was limited to just 15 games. But he started all 15 of those games, owned a 32.7 percent usage rate and shot 42 percent from deep.
He’s a ball-screen technician, sharp facilitator, and dynamite outside shooter, and brandishes the size to generate two feet in the paint with silky intermediate touch. I expect him to start for Memphis again this year, enjoy a hefty role and put up big-time numbers. If he stays healthy, he should prominently factor into Most Improved discussions, even if his most significant improvement perhaps occurred back in 2024-25.
Sixth Man of the Year: Dylan Harper
It is possible Harper does not see enough minutes to light up the box score with both De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle still around -- though, I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s better than one or both players this year and he already might be. But Harper’s game shone bright during the playoffs (and regular season, really, just fewer people were fully tuned in) and is integral to one of the league’s top teams. His excellence won’t get lost among voters.
He’s an intrepid driver with ingenuitive finishing, a strong-chested, flexible and menacing on-ball defender, and unrelenting transition creator. He shot 56.5 percent on 2s in the regular season and 59.1 percent in the postseason. His midrange comfort improved as the year progressed; I’d imagine that continues. He’s a willing outside shooter, despite just OK results in year one (34.3 percent in the regular season, 33 percent in the playoffs). He’s adept operating on and off the ball.
There’s loads to appreciate in Harper’s game and I deem him one of the NBA’s top reserves. That’s a great case to win this award.
Coach of the Year: Charles Lee
Lee finished fourth in voting for this award a season ago. He seems well-established as a bright young coach. He runs a delightfully dizzying offensive scheme, prioritizes crucial areas like offensive rebounding and 3-point volume, and helped the Charlotte Hornets punch above their weight defensively during their second-half surge last year.
Now, LaMelo Ball, the on-court architect of Charlotte’s free-wheeling, vivacious offense, is gone. The Hornets still have plenty of talented players with a roster rich in shooting, secondary ball-handling and closeout attacking. But to remain in the playoff hunt without Ball or another true primary creator, they’ll have to win schematic battles and on the margins. I consider Lee capable of such, which should have him squarely in Coach of the Year discussions as he potentially proves Charlotte and its offense can fly high even without Ball -- a feat it struggled to achieve a year ago.