The New York Knicks vs. San Antonio Spurs square off for the NBA title with Game 1 of the Best-of-7 series beginning on Wednesday, June 3. But the Larry O’Brien Trophy, presented to the NBA champion, is not the only piece of hardware that will be presented.
The Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player, given out since 1969, will be voted on at the conclusion of the Finals. The award has gone to a member of the winning team in all but that first year in 1969 (Jerry West) — so it’s also a pick on the team to win the NBA Finals.
Below, we’ll break down our NBA Finals MVP prediction and the payouts to win, including picks for potential winners.
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2026 NBA Finals MVP Picks, Winner Payouts
Which player will add his name to a legendary list of NBA Finals MVP winners that includes Michael Jordan, Steph Curry, LeBron James, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird and a host of other Hall of Famers?
Spurs C Victor Wembanyama is the favorite to win the MVP and would become the second-youngest ever to do so, behind only Magic Johnson at age 20.
Here are the top favorites to win the 2026 NBA Finals MVP, via PrizePicks Team Picks, including their payouts if you predict them to win.
Payouts from TeamPicks are live as of publishing, but are subject to change. Payouts listed below (like 2x) indicate real-money earnings if a prediction is correct; for example, a 2x on a $100 entry would pay out $200 on PrizePicks Team Picks.
- Victor Wembanyama – 1.51x payout ($100 pays $151)
- Jalen Brunson – 2.85x
- Karl-Anthony Towns – 11.11x
- OG Anunoby – 22.22x
- Stephon Castle – 33.33x
- De’Aaron Fox – 33.33x
- All Other Players – 33.33x
2026 NBA Finals MVP Predictions, Pick to Win
Here are three players to consider for your 2026 NBA Finals MVP picks on PrizePicks Team Picks, led by Spurs C Victor Wembanyama and Jalen Brunson, with a longshot at the end.
Spurs C Victor Wembanyama
Wembanyama NBA Finals MVP Winner Payout: Yes 1.51x | No 2.43x
It shouldn’t be a surprise that Spurs C Victor Wembanyama is the odds-on favorite to win Finals MVP. He just won the Magic Johnson Western Conference Finals MVP, averaging 27.3 points, 10.9 rebounds, and 3.7 blocks, while knocking out the defending champion Thunder.
While leading the series in scoring is good on the stat sheet, his presence in the middle on the defensive side is just as important. The Thunder — who entered the series leading all teams with 123.8 PPG and shooting 51% — were held to 109.0 PPG on 42.6% shooting overall and 34.4% from 3-point distance in the seven-game series, with Wembanyama a key reason.
Per ESPN Insights, when shots were contested by the 2026 NBA Defensive Player of the Year, they were converted only 28% of the time, the lowest vs. any player in the postseason.
Wembanyama’s 1.51x price to win is longer than the Spurs to win the title (1.47x). If the Spurs win, Wemby is seen as a near shoo-in to win, according to user picks on PrizePicks.
Pick Victor Wembanyama to win NBA Finals MVP on PrizePicks
Knicks PG Jalen Brunson
Jalen Brunson NBA Finals MVP Winner Payout: Yes 2.85x | No 1.38x
On the other side, if you think the Knicks are going to ride down Broadway with the NBA championship, you need to look at Jalen Brunson.
The Villanova product, who won the Larry Bird Conference Finals MVP in the Eastern Conference, is third among all postseason scorers at 26.9 PPG. And that’s with not playing a minute of the fourth quarter in any of the Knicks’ three clinching games.
Brunson has been the catalyst of the Knicks’ historic playoff run, scoring 25+ points in nine of the 14 games. That included 17 points in the 22-point fourth-quarter comeback in Game 1 of the ECF vs. Cleveland.
The Knicks star’s plus/minus is +226, best of any player in the postseason. And he’s averaged 31.7 points against the Spurs since joining the Knicks.
Much like Wembanyama’s price to win, Brunson’s 2.85x MVP price is longer than the Knicks to win the championship.
Pick Jalen Brunson to win NBA Finals MVP on PrizePicks
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Knicks SF Mikal Bridges
Mikal Bridges NBA Finals MVP Winner Payout: Yes 33.33x
Lots has changed with the New York Knicks since they trailed the Atlanta Hawks two games to one in the first round. They’ve won 11 straight since, putting up record numbers.
In the process of doing so, coach Mike Brown has changed the offense, which has been huge for Mikal Bridges.
In the first five postseason games this season, Bridges was averaging 26.8 minutes a game, scoring 12 points per game, with 1.4 rebounds and 1.4 assists. More or less a non-factor.
In the nine games since, Bridges’ minutes are up to 34.2 per game, which has been rewarded with an explosion of his stats to 18.7 points, 3.1 assists, and 4.0 rebounds a game.
He’s become a key cog in the Knicks’ offensive revival, and if those numbers continue and the Knicks win the title, 33.33x is a long price.
Pick Mikal Bridges to win NBA Finals MVP on PrizePicks
Make 2026 NBA Finals MVP Picks on PrizePicks
The NBA Finals are here with the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs squaring off. It’s been 56 consecutive years with the MVP going to the team that wins it all.
Will the favorites Victor Wembanyama or Jalen Brunson take home the hardware? Or will a long- shot steal it?
You can make your 2026 NBA Finals MVP winner picks on PrizePicks and PrizePicks Team Picks to earn real money. With Team Picks, make NBA Finals predictions on winners, spreads, and over/unders, now available in 35 states.
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