Unanimous Recognition for MVPs

The NBA has officially announced its All-NBA First Team, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Nikola Jokić of the Denver Nuggets receiving unanimous votes. Both players secured all 100 first-place votes from the media panel, earning a perfect 500 points. This marks the fourth consecutive season Gilgeous-Alexander has made the First Team, following his second straight MVP award earlier this month.

Leading the league in scoring with 31.1 points per game, Gilgeous-Alexander also recorded career-high averages of 6.6 assists and 4.3 rebounds while shooting 55.3% from the field. Jokić, the three-time MVP, finished second in the MVP voting but secured his sixth First Team selection. The Serbian center averaged 27.7 points, 12.9 rebounds, and a career-high 10.7 assists, joining Russell Westbrook as the only player in NBA history to average a triple-double in multiple seasons.

Wembanyama and the Injury-Affected Stars

Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs made his First Team debut, finishing third in MVP voting after being unanimously named Defensive Player of the Year. The French phenom averaged 25.0 points, 11.5 rebounds, and led the league with 3.1 blocks per game. He received 498 points, missing only one first-place vote.

Luka Dončić and Cade Cunningham completed the lineup despite playing only 64 games, one short of the 65-game threshold. Both players filed appeals to be considered. Dončić missed two games for his daughter’s birth in Slovenia and the rest of the season due to a knee injury. He finished as the NBA’s top scorer with 33.5 points per game, setting a Lakers record with 254 three-pointers. Cunningham, who missed 11 games due to a lung collapse, led the Detroit Pistons to the best record in the Eastern Conference. He averaged 23.9 points, 9.9 assists, and 5.5 rebounds to earn his first First Team honor.