NBA general managers favor Spurs for 2027 title, Wembanyama for MVP

The San Antonio Spurs were the leading pick to win the 2027 NBA title in the league’s general managers survey released Thursday, October 15, 2026, with Victor Wembanyama the clear favorite for MVP. CBS Sports and AFP reported that San Antonio received 50% of championship votes, ahead of Oklahoma City’s 43%, as executives looked toward the 2026-27 season.

The picks put the Spurs ahead of a close Western Conference rival in the executives’ forecasts. New York and Philadelphia also received championship votes. AFP reported that San Antonio narrowly led Oklahoma City among Western Conference choices, while New York was the leading pick in the East, followed by Philadelphia.

Wembanyama leads the MVP and franchise picks

Wembanyama drew 77% of the predicted MVP votes, a record level of support in the survey, according to AFP. He also received 93% of the votes when general managers were asked which player they would choose to start a franchise, another survey record reported by AFP. Those are two different measures: one predicts an award, while the other asks executives to make a longer-term choice.

AFP said Wembanyama finished first in eight player-related questions. CBS Sports reported that he led categories including defensive player, interior defender, international player and versatility, alongside the MVP and franchise selections. He placed second in its reported rankings for best power forward and best center, showing how broadly the general managers rated his game.

Philadelphia draws praise and uncertainty

Philadelphia presented a more divided picture in the results reported by CBS Sports. The 76ers received 73% of the votes for the team that made the best offseason moves, yet also led the question asking which team was hardest to predict, with 27%. The two answers capture the executives’ assessment of the club without settling how it will perform.

CBS Sports reported that Cameron Boozer received 50% of the votes as the predicted Rookie of the Year. Caleb Wilson, AJ Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson also received votes. The rookie question was one of the survey’s individual forecasts, separate from the title and MVP selections that put San Antonio and Wembanyama at the forefront.

The NBA’s 25th annual general managers survey covered 48 questions, AFP reported, and executives could not vote for their own team or personnel. For comparison, CBS Sports said Oklahoma City had taken 80% of the championship votes in the previous year’s survey. This year’s narrower title split shows how the executives’ preseason preferences have shifted.