The 2024 All-Star break is here, which means the unofficial halfway point of the season has passed. MVP candidates have started to separate themselves from the rest of the pack.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is among the top candidate tier, which was reflected in ESPN’s Tim Bontemps’ recent straw poll. One-hundred league insiders periodically vote throughout the season to forecast the award winners.
In the latest MVP straw poll released on Feb. 13, Gilgeous-Alexander (709 total points) is ranked second in MVP voting — trailing only Nikola Jokic (889 points). This is a two-spot jump for the 25-year-old from the previous straw poll.
Joel Embiid was disqualified from the list: He is no longer eligible for MVP because he will not play in 65 games.
Gilgeous-Alexander has been part of the MVP conversation for the entire season and has only made his case stronger as the season has progressed.
The Oklahoma City Thunder (37-17) are in second place in the Western Conference standings. Gilgeous-Alexander has averaged 31.1 points on 54.6% shooting, 6.5 assists and 5.5 rebounds.
