The first edition of NBA.com’s Kia MVP Ladder has officially dropped, and while it features three former MVP winners at the top of the list in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Nikola Jokić, there’s a name just a few spots further down that may have surprised Chicago Bulls fans in the best way possible.
This is not a joke. The NBA actually has a Bulls player ranked sixth in the MVP race, and it’s well-deserved.
Chicago's hot start fueling an MVP campaign
The Chicago Bulls have shocked the basketball world with their red-hot 6–1 start, completely destroying preseason expectations. For example, ESPN's 2025-26 NBA season simulation projected the Bulls to record just seven total wins through Christmas Day, now they have six just a week into November.
Chicago has been able to find their success using a balanced offensive approach paired with a defense built on physicality. Six Bulls are averaging double figures, but one player stands clearly above the rest: Josh Giddey.
NBA.com has the 23-year-old Australian guard sitting at No. 6 on its MVP ladder just two weeks into the 2025–26 season, and it’s easy to see why. Giddey is averaging a near triple-double with 23.1 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 9.1 assists, becoming the undeniable engine behind Chicago’s offense.
OKC's trash is Chicago's treasure
It wasn’t long ago that Giddey’s future looked uncertain. Just a year and a half ago, he was essentially benched during Oklahoma City’s 2024 playoff run after defenses exposed his weaknesses to the point that the Thunder coaching staff deemed him unplayable. Since then, his transformation has been unbelievable, proving how a change of scenery can completely alter a young player’s career.
Sure, Giddey’s impact certainly shows up in the box score, but it’s even more obvious in the win column. In the Bulls’ recent 24-point comeback victory against the 76ers, Chicago trailed by 11 heading into the fourth quarter before Giddey completely took control. He accounted for 15 of the team’s points in the final period, scoring six himself and assisting on three made three-pointers, including the game-winning pass that put the Bulls ahead 113–111 with just 3.2 seconds remaining.
What this means for the future of the Bulls
Josh Giddey’s development has changed the trajectory not only of this season but potentially of the franchise’s future. In the short term, Chicago suddenly looks like a legitimate playoff contender in an Eastern Conference that has more opportunity than it has had in years. In the long term, Giddey’s jump in development just weeks after signing a four-year extension gives the Bulls a young cornerstone to build around alongside Matas Buzelis and Coby White.
Yes, being sixth in the MVP race in early November doesn’t guarantee much. But it’s an obvious sign of progress and proof that Josh Giddey’s growth is the real deal, and the league is finally starting to take notice.