Just as the MVP race expands to include names like Luka Doncic and Victor Wembanyama, one Milwaukee Bucks veteran is shutting that door completely. What has recently turned into a wide-open race alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic is, in his eyes, still a two-man battle — and nobody else belongs in it.

Bobby Portis made that stance clear during a recent appearance on FanDuel’s Run It Back.

“I get the Wemby talk, because obviously his team’s winning… and you’ve been seeing Jokic on the MVP ballot for five, six years now. You’ve been seeing SGA on it for the last three years — he won last year. But guys want to see somebody new on the ballot… But in my honest opinion, it’s got to be SGA or Jokic,” Portis said.

Portis doubled down on that stance, going a step further by dismissing the rest of the field entirely — a group that includes rising candidates like Doncic and Wembanyama.

“Other than those two, I don’t see anybody else that’s kind of worthy for it… Those are the top two candidates. I don’t know if it’s going to be a co-MVP this year — it might be our first time having one,” he added.

For context, the NBA has never had a co-MVP in its history.

Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 31.4 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 6.5 assists on elite efficiency while leading the Thunder to a 59-16 record — the best in the league. Simply put, he’s been the engine behind the NBA’s top team.

After leading Oklahoma City to a title and winning MVP last season, Gilgeous-Alexander has somehow elevated his game even further. Maintaining that level after a championship run is rarely easy, but he has done it with consistency — putting himself on the verge of joining an elite group of guards to win back-to-back MVPs.

Jokic, meanwhile, continues to put together one of the most complete seasons in the league. The three-time MVP is averaging 27.9 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 10.8 assists while shooting over 57% from the field. Even after missing time with a knee issue, he hasn’t skipped a beat, leading the Nuggets to a 48-28 record and keeping them firmly in the West’s top tier.

With fewer than 10 games left in the regular season, the race is entering its final stretch. While SGA and Jokic remain the most consistent candidates, players like Doncic and Wembanyama are still making late pushes that have kept the conversation alive — even if Portis disagrees.

The fact that SGA is the favorite is not a prediction but is a general opinion among players, fans, and some analysts as well. It is just his sheer dominance that has placed them in this situation, where he could guide his team to their second consecutive title this season. So much so that even his fellow competitor, the Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton, is also impressed with the 27-year-old.

Tyrese Haliburton picks Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as his favorite to win the MVP award

The Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers went head-to-head in a seven-game battle during the 2025 NBA Finals. It was a feisty seven-game battle where both Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Tyrese Haliburton stepped up for their respective teams and were exchanging exceptional performances one after another until Haliburton tore his Achilles in game 7 and the Thunder edged past the Pacers. Despite the on-court rivalry, Haliburton has still picked SGA as his favorite to win the MVP award.

Speaking on NBA on Prime with Dirk Nowitzki, Tyrese Haliburton didn’t hesitate when asked about the MVP race. “If I had a vote, it would for sure go to Shai for back-to-back. What Wembanyama is doing is amazing, but I would vote for Shai,” he said.

Wembanyama, however, has surged late in the season, even climbing to No. 1 on the NBA’s MVP ladder recently. The Spurs have gone 24-2 since February, and the French star has anchored that run with dominant two-way numbers — 24.2 points, 11.3 rebounds, and over three blocks per game.

Whether it ends up being a tight finish or not, the broader debate continues to evolve. But if you ask Portis, the race is already decided — and it doesn’t include the rising names pushing their way into the conversation.