The NBA released its annual GM survey on Thursday, which takes all 30 general managers across the league to get theirs for the upcoming season. The 25th annual GM poll was heavily represented by the Spurs and superstar big man Victor Wembanyama, as the franchise received the most votes (50%) to win the 2027 NBA title.
San Antonio was chosen as the favorite to win the title over the Thunder (43% of the vote), with the Knicks and 76ers also receiving votes. Last season, Oklahoma City was heavily favored by NBA general managers (80% of the vote) to win the title.
Wembanyama was also voted as the overwhelming favorite (77% of the votes) to win the first ever MVP. Nikola Jokić, Anthony Edwards, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Jayson Tatum received votes to win the sport’s most coveted individual awards.
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Also represented in the review was second-year offensive guard Dylan Harper, who is considered the heavy favorite to have a breakout season, ahead of the likes of Cooper Flagg, Collin Murray-Boyles, Amen Thompson, and Cason Wallace. Harper primarily came off the bench in his rookie season, but was one of the stars of the games. The Spurs have already experienced Harper in the starting lineup in the preseason with fellow guards De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle.
Let’s focus on some takeaways that NBA general managers got right (and wrong).
Will this be Wembley’s season?
It should come as no surprise that the general managers selected Wembanyama as the MVP. The Spurs superstar is coming off a season in which he averaged 25 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.1 blocks and 3.1 assists. Wembanyama was voted NBA Defensive Player of the Year last season, becoming the first player in NBA history to win the unanimous decision. The next step is for Wembanyama to get his first MVP award and the cards are set for him this season.
Wembanyama was a popular name across the board. Here are the categories in which Wembanyama votes were first cast or at least received by the general managers.
- First: NBA MVP (77%)
- First: Who wants freedom to start (93%)
- First: Which player forces opposing coaches to make the most adjustments (47%)
- Secondly: Best power forward (23%)
- Secondly: best center (37%)
- First: Best international player (53%)
- First: Best defensive player (97%)
- First: Best interior defender (97%)
- First: Most versatile (57%)
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Legendary Rookie of the Year race on the way?
The hype surrounding the rookie class in college basketball has turned into one of the biggest storylines of the NBA season because of how many teams are getting top picks in the draft. In the GM poll, Grizzlies forward Cameron Boozer was selected (50% of the vote) to win Rookie of the Year honors.
Again, to anyone who followed college basketball last season or watched Boozer play in summer league or the preseason, that shouldn’t come as a surprise. Boozer was the most NBA-ready player of his star class due to his elite passing and rebounding basketball IQ. Boozer became No. 1 in our preseason rookie impact rankings, ahead of AJ Dybantsam and Darryn Peterson – the top two picks in the 2026 NBA Draft for the Wizards and Jazz, respectively.
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In the survey, Dybantsa and Peterson were not selected after Boozer to receive the award. That honor went to Caleb Wilson, who was drafted No. 4 picks, who would make an immediate impact as a rookie with the Bulls. Wilson (20%), Dybantsa (17%) and Peterson (13%) all received votes.
Last year Flagg (97%) was the heavy favorite to win Rookie of the Year. While Flagg was ultimately awarded, his former teammate Kon Knueppel made for an intense and close race. Expect more on this season. Another name to keep an eye on who should get more Rookie of the Year attention: Darius Acuff Jr. The former Arkansas star will be handed the keys to the offense immediately and will put up big numbers in his first NBA season with the Kings.
76ers as the clear winner of the offseason
After signing LeBron James in free agency and making the big Jaylen Brown trade, the 76ers were voted by NBA GMs (73% of the vote) as the team that made the best overall move this offseason. The other teams that received significant votes were the Heat (10%) and the Crabs (7%).
The 76ers also made several other moves in the offseason, including Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Anfernee Simons and Dean Wade in free agency and drafting Labaron Philon Jr. with No. They collect 22 Philo, who had a breakout season at Alabama, was projected to go as high as 20 in the lottery.
While Philadelphia was one of two teams from the Eastern Conference – with the defending champion Knicks being the other – to receive votes to win the title, NBA general managers are skeptical about what the new-look 76ers will look like. Philadelphia is rated as the team whose level of success is harder to predict this season. The 76ers (27% of the vote) were preferred ahead of the Timberwolves, Lakers, Jazz, Warriors, Pacers and Blazers.
Unsurprisingly, the 76ers to have the second, shortest odds coming from the East behind the Knicks.