Victor Wembanyama and San Antonio Spurs Voted Favorites in NBA GM Survey

Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs enter the 2026–27 NBA season as the favorites to claim the league championship, according to the annual NBA General Manager Survey published ahead of tip-off. Fifty percent of league executives picked the Spurs to capture the title, edging out the Oklahoma City Thunder at 43%, while Wembanyama himself dominated individual voting categories after finishing third in official MVP balloting last season.

General Managers Pick San Antonio for the Title

The annual survey, conducted across all 30 franchise front offices with a strict rule prohibiting executives from voting for their own teams, placed San Antonio at the summit of the Western Conference predictions. The Spurs carry a target on their backs following a run to the NBA Finals last season, where the young roster matured alongside Wembanyama, Dylan Harper, and Stephon Castle. In the broader conference outlook, the Spurs and Thunder deadlocked with 34% of the total points in the Western Conference projection, though San Antonio secured 53% of the first-place votes compared to Oklahoma City’s 47%.

The NBA GMs have picked their 2026-27 @Kia NBA MVP 👀 See all the results from the latest NBA GM Survey on the NBA App!➡️ https://t.co/1AbN04qMcE pic.twitter.com/ZHbsEWmDNQ

— https://x.com/NBA/status/2110733720605081671

Wembanyama Leads MVP and Franchise Building Polls

Entering his fourth season in the League, Wembanyama claimed 77% of the votes for the 2026–27 Most Valuable Player award, a massive leap from the 7% he received in the previous season’s survey where Nikola Jokic dominated with 67%. The player’s surge follows a standout year averaging 25 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 3.1 blocks per game, capped by the Defensive Player of the Year award and a Finals appearance. When league executives were asked which player they would choose to start a new franchise from scratch, 93% selected Wembanyama, up from 83% the previous year.

Jokic Retains the Top Center Distinction

Despite Wembanyama’s dominance in MVP and foundational voting, general managers still view Nikola Jokic as the league’s premier center. Jokic captured 63% of the vote for best pivot, leaving Wembanyama at 37%. However, when polled on which player forces opposing coaches to make the most tactical adjustments, Wembanyama took first place with 47% of the ballots, ahead of Jokic at 33%, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander at 10%, Stephen Curry at 7%, and Luka Doncic at 3%.

Rookies and Conference Standings Outlook

The preseason survey also projected movement across both conferences. In the Eastern Conference, the New York Knicks claimed 60% of the first-place votes and 32% of total points to finish ahead of the Philadelphia 76ers. For the individual breakout category, Dylan Harper led all players with 27% of the votes to be most likely to break out during the 2026–27 campaign, outpacing a group of young talents that included Cooper Flagg, Collin Murray-Boyles, Amen Thompson, and Cason Wallace.