Who votes for NBA Finals MVP? Rules, panel, and selection process

Jun 21, 2025 04:41 PM IST
The NBA 2025 season is almost drawing to an end with the final showdown scheduled to take place between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers on Sunday, June 22, at Oklahoma City's Paycom Center. With this comes the all-pertinent question of which player is destined to secure the NBA Finals MVP title this season. Being distributed ever since 1969, the title has been awarded to some of the most legendary players in basketball history in the past and carries immense weight in value. As the NBA 2025 season nears its end, the Finals MVP title will be awarded after the championship game. Mandatory Credit: Maddie Meyer-Pool Photo via Imagn Images TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY(IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
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The decision to appoint the NBA Finals MVP title is taken by a panel of 100 distinguished sportswriters and broadcasters from across the United States and Canada. The identities of these panelists are kept confidential until after the results have been declared. Up until the 1970-80 season, this task was left up to NBA players.
This panel is then responsible for voting for their top 5 candidates from the series. According to the latest set of rules, a player must have played in at least 65 games per season to be eligible. These players are then accorded positions by each panelist. Factors like individual statistics, team success, and overall impact on the league are usually considered while filling out the ballot.
These are the points given to each position ranking:
1st place- 10 points
2nd place- 7 points
3rd place- 5 points
4th place- 3 points
5th place- 1 point
The player who manages to secure the highest number of points from a tally of all panelists is then awarded the title.
According to recent reports, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luka Doncic, and Nikola Jokic are in the race to clinch the coveted title this season.
(By Stuti Gupta)

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