NBA ClutchPoints Monday MVP: Victor Wembanyama is back in the conversation

Who says the NBA Cup means nothing to players around the league? The stars give maximum effort in these games, especially between the reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Victor Vembanyama in their showdown during the NBA Cup semifinals on Saturday.

Vembanjama, who was coming back from a calf injury it shut him out for 12 straight games, came off the bench and delivered one of the most impressive single-game performances we’ve seen from a player this season.

In just 21 minutes off the bench, Wemby was +21 for the game with 22 points and nine rebounds. Regardless of the score or what the Thunder threw at him, Vembanyama was extremely comfortable and always created momentum for San Antonio Spurs.

That’s why The Spurs won 111-109 to advance to Tuesday’s NBA Cup championship game against the New York Knicks.

With Vembanjam back on the field, whether playing off the bench or in the starting lineup, Spurs have emerged as a legitimate threat in the Western Conference. More importantly for Vembanyama, he is still eligible for the MVP award, and this game was a clear statement that he can be the best player in the league.

Earlier this season, before he suffered a calf injury, Vembanjama was right in his selection for the NBA MVP award with Gilge-Alexander and Nikola Jokic. If he stays healthy and the Spurs continue to grow as a young team on the rise, the same MVP buzz will resurface.

Vembanjama has returned to the NBA MVP rankings, making for an interesting list in a very open race for this year’s award heading into the holiday season.

Previous 2023-24 NBA MVP Rankings: week 7 | 6th week | 5th week | 4th week | 3rd week | 2nd week | 1st week

1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – Oklahoma City Thunder

Previous rank: #1

2025-26 Stats: 25 games, 32.4 points, 6.4 assists, 4.6 rebounds, 1.4 steals, 56.0 FG%, 43.7 3P%

Even after losing to the Spurs in the NBA Cup semifinals, Gildžius-Aleksander and the Thunder are still on pace to break the Golden State Warriors record of 73 wins in 2015-16. As long as they are on pace to do so, Shai will remain the frontrunner in the MVP race, barring godlike performances from either Nikola Jokic or Luka Doncic.

Gilgeous-Alexander’s streak of at least 20 points was extended to 97 straight games after he scored 29 points against San Antonio on Saturday. The Thunder MVP is now 29 games away from the breakout Wilt Chamberlain’s record of 127 consecutive games with 20 plus points.

Between this record being within reach for Gilgeous-Alexander, and the Thunder threatening to win at least 70 games, SGA is very much in control of his MVP destiny this season.

2. Nikola Jokic – Denver Nuggets

Previous rank: #2

2025-26 stats: 24 games, 29.5 points, 12.3 rebounds, 10.9 assists, 1.4 steals, 62.2 FG%, 42.4 3P%

Not much has changed for Nikola Jokic since last week’s MVP rankings. In one game played by the Denver Nuggets, Jokic recorded 36 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists. A 136-105 win over the Sacramento Kings.

Jokic continues to do all the heavy lifting for the Nuggets with Aaron Gordon and Christian Brown sidelined, as it was his 22nd double-double of the season and second straight game with one. Surprisingly, this was Jokic’s first double-double with points and rebounds since December 1st.

As long as he continues to average a triple-double, Jokic will be right at the top of the NBA MVP rankings right next to Gilgeous-Alexander.

3. Luka Doncic – Los Angeles Lakers

Previous rank: #3

2025-26 Stats: 19 games, 34.7 points, 8.8 assists, 8.7 rebounds, 1.5 steals, 46.0 FG%, 32.4 3P%

Luka Doncic continues to lead the league with 34.7 points per game, and coincidentally had 35 points in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 132-119 NBA Cup loss to the Spurs. Luka led the Lakers to a 116-114 victory over Devin Booker and the Phoenix Suns on Sunday with 29 points and six assists.

Even with LeBron James back, the Lakers are Luke’s team, and his offensive numbers will likely increase from Austin Reeves is out with a calf injury.

Aside from missing six games this season, Doncic’s MVP resume remains unblemished. He has scored at least 30 points in nine consecutive games, and Doncic has seven double-doubles during that stretch, including a 31-point triple-double against the Philadelphia 76ers on December 7.

4. Victor Wembanyama – San Antonio Spurs

Previous rank: #9

2025-26 stats: 13 games, 25.8 points, 12.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 3.5 blocks, 50.4 FG%, 35.6 3P%

Will Vembanjama meet the minimum playing requirements to be in the running for the MVP award this season? That is the only question surrounding the young Spurs star and his ability to stay in these prize races.

After missing 12 games with a calf injury, Vembanjama returned to the Spurs’ NBA Cup semi-final game against the Thunder on Saturday, and pitched in his first game off the bench.

What makes Vembanyama a true MVP candidate is his ability to make everyone around him better. Because of how much attention Wemby gets offensively, others like De’Aaron Fox, Devin Vassell and Stephon Castle can operate with more space and more confidence.

Of course, there’s also Wembanyama’s influence defensively, and that was evident against the Thunder. Gilgeous-Alexander and others wouldn’t challenge the Spurs in the paint because of Vembanyama rising at the rim, which helped San Antonio close this game late in the fourth quarter.

Vembanjama can only miss five more games between now and the end of the season to remain eligible for the MVP award.

5. Cade Cunningham – Detroit Pistons

Previous rank: #4

2025/26 stats: 22 games, 26.9 points, 9.1 assists, 6.1 rebounds, 1.5 steals, 45.4 FG%, 30.7 3P%

Like Jokic and the Nuggets, Cade Cunningham and the Detroit Pistons played just one game last week. This was a 142-115 victory for the Pistons, a game in which Cunningham played just 23 minutes and recorded 15 points and six assists.

It was Cade’s second-lowest of the season, as he had 12 points in Detroit’s fourth game of the season, a 116-95 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Cunningham trails only Jokic in assists in the league, and his 12 double-doubles are behind only Josh Giddy (15) and Doncic (14) for the most by a guard in the NBA this season. The Pistons remain atop the Eastern Conference standings, keeping Cunningham firmly in the MVP race.

It’s just missing the cut

6. Giannis Antetokounmpo – Milwaukee Bucks (ranked #6 last week)

7. Jalen Brunson – New York Knicks (unranked last week)

8. Jaylen Brown – Boston Celtics (ranked fifth last week)

9. Jaylen Johnson – Atlanta Hawks (7th last week)

10. Alperen Sengun – Houston Rockets (ranked 8th last week)