🏀 NBA Awards Eligibility Tracker 2026: 65-Game Rule for Jokic & Wemby
⚡️ SBR Pulse: NBA Awards Eligibility Tracker
Our NBA Awards eligibility tracker monitors whether stars like Nikola Jokic and Victor Wembanyama remain eligible for postseason honors, including NBA MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, and more. We also break down the betting odds for these players, explain how the 65-game rule works, and highlight which NBA players are already ineligible for awards.
🏆 NBA MVP eligibility tracker
Our MVP leaderboard features live NBA odds from the best sports betting sites.
| Player | Games missed | Buffer remaining | Best odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | 12 | 5 games | -800 via DraftKings |
| Victor Wembanyama | 15 | 2 games | +1500 via DraftKings |
| Nikola Jokic | 16 | 1 game | +2000 via bet365 |
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the betting favorite to win NBA MVP and has only missed one game since returning from an abdominal strain that sidelined him for most of February.
📝 How the 65-game rule works
To qualify for honors such as MVP or All-NBA, players must appear in at least 65 regular-season games and log a minimum of 20 minutes in each. The rule allows for only two “near-miss” games in which a player logs between 15 and 20 minutes, limiting a player to no more than 17 absences over the course of the season.
🏀 All-NBA team eligibility tracker
Follow all of our NBA analysis and expert predictions this season.
| Player | Games missed | Buffer remaining |
|---|---|---|
| Nikola Jokic | 16 | 1 game |
| Devin Booker | 16 | 1 game |
| Deni Avdija | 16 | 1 game |
| Victor Wembanyama | 15 | 2 games |
| Evan Mobley | 15 | 2 games |
| Kawhi Leonard | 14 | 3 games |
Nikola Jokic has earned All-NBA honors in seven consecutive seasons, including five First Team selections and two Second Team nods. However, missing just two more games this season would render him ineligible for 2026.
While betting on All-NBA team selections is not widely available on the best NBA betting sites, these honors carry significant financial incentives for players.
🛡️ NBA Defensive Player of the Year eligibility tracker
More odds are available on our NBA Defensive Player of the Year leaderboard.
| Player | Games missed | Buffer remaining | Best odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Victor Wembanyama | 15 | 2 games | -1000 via DraftKings |
Victor Wembanyama remains a heavy favorite to win NBA Defensive Player of the Year, but if he misses three more games, he will no longer be eligible. Chet Holmgren has the second-shortest odds to take home the award.
📈 NBA Most Improved Player eligibility tracker
More odds are available on our NBA Most Improved Player of the Year leaderboard.
| Player | Games missed | Buffer remaining | Best odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deni Avdija | 16 | 1 game | +800 via DraftKings |
Deni Avdija has the third-shortest odds to win the NBA Most Improved Player award. So, even if he maintains his eligibility, Jalen Duren or Jalen Johnson will still likely win.
❌ Which NBA players are already ineligible for awards?
Preseason odds via BetMGM.
| Player | Affected market | Preseason odds |
|---|---|---|
| Giannis Antetokounmpo | MVP | +700 |
| Stephen Curry | MVP | +4000 |
| Lauri Markkanen | Most Improved Player | +10000 |
| Joel Embiid | MVP | +4000 |
| Austin Reaves | Most Improved Player | +2500 |
| Tyler Herro | MVP | +50000 |
| LeBron James | MVP | +10000 |
| Franz Wagner | MVP | +30000 |
| Anthony Davis | Defensive Player of the Year | +3000 |
| Ty Jerome | Most Improved Player | +10000 |
The biggest impact on this list is that Giannis Antetokounmpo is no longer eligible to win NBA MVP. He had the third-shortest preseason odds to win MVP (tied with Luka Doncic) and, as of Feb. 24, still accounted for 2.2% of tickets and 2% of the handle at BetMGM.
❓ Is Rookie of the Year subject to the 65-game rule?
No. The Rookie of the Year award and the All-Rookie Teams are exempt from the NBA’s 65-game rule. While major honors such as MVP and All-NBA are subject to the rule, voters are free to evaluate the rookie class without a minimum game requirement.
The 65-game rule also does not apply to Sixth Man of the Year.
💸 NBA betting tips
Before you go, see all of our experts' NBA picks for today's games.
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