Overview

• Executives gave Oklahoma City 80% of the vote to win the 2026 title, with Cleveland and Denver next at 7% each and Houston and New York also receiving votes.
• Nikola Jokic led MVP forecasting with 67% and was also rated best center, best international player, best passer and the top matchup problem.
• Top pick Cooper Flagg was the near-unanimous Rookie of the Year choice at 97% and the favorite to be the best player in his class five years from now.
• Victor Wembanyama drew 83% as the player to start a franchise with and 80% as the league’s best defender, reinforcing his dual value on upside and impact.
• The survey highlighted a youth surge with Houston’s Amen Thompson selected most likely to break out (30%) and most athletic (58%), while GMs identified roster-construction rules as the top change priority (26%) in a poll that bars self-votes and reflects preseason sentiment rather than predictions.