Can Anthony Edwards Finally Win His First MVP Award in the 2025 NBA Season?

Twenty-four-year-old Atlanta native Anthony Edwards is a shooting guard about to enter his sixth season in the National Basketball Association, all with the Minnesota Timberwolves. 

Edwards has become the leader of the Wolves, increasing his points-per-game each season in the pros. He finished second in Rookie of the Year (2020-21), averaging 19.3 points/game. 

We now fast forward to last season, Edwards ending with 27.6 points per contest (fourth in league) while earning a third consecutive All-Star nod.

Minnesota has advanced to the Western Conference finals of the NBA playoffs the past two seasons, having fallen to the Dallas Mavericks and Oklahoma City (each in five games).

Edwards has certainly played his way into the MVP conversation, having finished seventh in the voting each of the past two seasons.

With the 2025-26 regular-season NBA schedule beginning in late October, it will be intriguing as to whether both players and team can advance on their respective ladders.

As of this mid-October writing, Minnesota is 10-1 (+1000) to win a first-ever title in the West, 16-1 (+1600) to hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy and win it all.

Edwards, meanwhile, is a 22-1 (+2200) proposition to win the NBA MVP award. 

Here’s a primer on those favored to win the Michael Jordan MVP award, he is a five-time winner…

Who is Likely to Win NBA MVP in 2025-26?

It’s no secret that MVP winners play on very good teams, though getting to the NBA Finals is not a prerequisite. Look no further than Nikola Jokic of the 2022-2023 champion Denver Nuggets and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (of last season’s titlist Oklahoma City Thunder) to reaffirm that playing with an elite outfit does not hurt.

     
What are the NBA MVP Odds? 

Odds will be fluid once the games begin to count, but as of now, three-time MVP winner Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets) and ‘defending champ’ Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder) are 9-4 (+225) co-favorites to win the 2025-26 award. It’s Luka Doncic (Los Angeles Lakers) next at 7-2 (+350), Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks) as fourth choice at 10-1 (+1000) and Victor Wenbanyama (San Antonio Spurs) rounding out the top five at 14-1 (+1400). 

As was mentioned, Anthony Edwards of the Minnesota Timberwolves is a 22-1 (+2200) shot to win this season’s NBA MVP award. Whether that’s fair value remains to be seen.

Can a Rookie Win the MVP Award?

Indeed, if your name is Wilt Chamberlain or Wes Unseld. Those two big men comprise a rare fraternity; Chamberlain did it with the 1959-60 Philadelphia Warriors, Unseld with the Baltimore Bullets in 1968-69. Though both teams did end with solid seasons in the NBA standings, neither ended with a title. 

Obviously difficult to have a rookie make his mark in the category of NBA MVP odds.  

Who Won the 2024-25 NBA MVP Award?

It was a season to remember with the Oklahoma City Thunder, as not only did they have the league’s best (68-14) record, they ended with their first title since Seattle and those dearly departed SuperSonics. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander not only led the league in scoring (32.7 points per game), but he was also the winner of the MVP award.

Thus, OKC found it favored more often than not when it came to NBA odds.

Any Final Thoughts?

Anyone who pays even marginal attention to NBA games knows the best of the best players around the league. If you’re looking to wager on those with a shot to win the MVP award, look at the standings. It’s no surprise that winning teams produce players who win individual awards.