🏀 NBA Awards Eligibility Tracker 2026: Doncic’s 65-Game Status After Injury
⚡️ SBR Pulse: NBA Awards Eligibility Tracker
Our NBA awards eligibility tracker keeps tabs on whether stars like Luka Doncic and Victor Wembanyama are still in the running for honors such as MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, and All-NBA. We also review the latest betting odds, explain the 65-game rule, and spotlight which players have already become 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Victor Wembanyama | 16 | 1 game | +1000 via FanDuel |
Victor Wembanyama currently holds the second-shortest odds to win MVP. However, if he misses two more games, he will fall short of the 65-game threshold required for eligibility.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander remains the betting favorite for the award.
📝 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Cade Cunningham 🚑 | 17* | 0 games |
| Deni Avdija | 17* | 0 games |
| Victor Wembanyama | 16 | 1 game |
| Kawhi Leonard | 16 | 1 game |
| Nikola Jokic | 16 | 1 game |
| Devin Booker | 16 | 1 game |
| Evan Mobley | 15 | 2 games |
| Luka Doncic 🚑 | 13 | 4 games |
| Tyrese Maxey | 12 | 5 games |
*Player did not log enough minutes in one or more games to count toward eligibility.
Luka Doncic suffered a hamstring injury against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday.
Doncic has to appear in one more regular-season game to remain eligible for end-of-season awards.
Cade Cunningham is sidelined with a collapsed lung and won’t be re-evaluated until roughly April 9. The Pistons star is averaging 24.5 points and 9.9 assists through 61 games, though only 60 count toward award eligibility.
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 | 16 | 1 game | -8000 via DraftKings |
Wembanyama remains a heavy favorite to win NBA Defensive Player of the Year, but if he misses two 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 | 17* | 0 games | +2500 via BetRivers |
*Player did not log enough minutes in one or more games to count toward eligibility.
Deni Avdija has the third-shortest odds to win the NBA Most Improved Player award. So, even if he maintains his eligibility, Nickeil Alexander-Walker or Jalen Duren will still likely win.
❌ Which NBA players are already ineligible for awards?
Preseason odds via BetMGM.
| Player | Affected market | Preseason odds |
|---|---|---|
| Anthony Edwards | MVP | +2200 |
| 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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