Jeff Teague Names His Surprising Pick For MVP Early In The 2025/26 Season

The 2025–26 NBA season has already been one of the most exciting in recent memory, as there have been many incredible performances and teams around the league. Unsurprisingly, much of the attention has been on the Oklahoma City Thunder following their 24–2 start to the year, with star guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nuggets star Nikola Jokic seemingly battling it out for the MVP early in the year.

However, they're not the only ones in the chase, as we've seen incredible performances from Jalen Brunson, Luka Doncic, and Jaylen Brown. According to Jeff Teague, however, it should be Cade Cunningham who’s the MVP of the league to this point, as he points out that the Pistons star has been thriving in the No. 1 seed without a secondary star alongside him.

Ever since being the No. 1 overall pick back in the 2021 NBA Draft, Cunningham has built himself into a star, and last season, he broke out as a top-level star in the league. In 2025–26, he's taken it to another level entirely. Through 23 games, he has the Pistons in the No. 1 spot in the East by averaging 27 points, six rebounds, and nine assists, with the NBA's latest MVP ladder having him sit in fourth place.

At this point in time, it's a two-horse race for MVP with SGA and Jokic at the top, but if the Pistons can secure the top spot in the East, Cunningham should have just as good a case as anyone in the league.