The league's decision-makers have spoken. No hedging, no fence-sitting. In the NBA's annual GM Survey, general managers were asked to choose between Victor Wembanyama and Nikola Jokic - and the results settle a question that has split fans, analysts, and front offices all summer. This isn't a hot take from a talk show. It's a real poll of the people who actually build rosters, and their answer tells you exactly where the league thinks its future - and its present - sits going into the 2026-27 season.
What the GMs Actually Said
The Numbers Behind the Choice
The survey results couldn't be cleaner. Asked which player they'd start a franchise with today, GMs overwhelmingly sided with Wembanyama - a landslide that would have been unthinkable even two years ago. Jokic, meanwhile, dominated the "best player in the NBA right now" category, the same way he has for the past several seasons. The split reveals the real story: this isn't a debate about who's better. It's a debate about when.
📊 Over 80% of GMs chose Wembanyama as the player they'd start a franchise with today - the largest margin for any player in this category since the survey began tracking it.
📊 Jokic captured more than 60% of votes for "best player in the NBA right now" - his fourth consecutive year leading this category, cementing his status as the league's premier active talent.
Why Jokic Still Owns the "Best Player Alive" Label
Jokic's résumé speaks for itself - multiple MVPs, a championship, and a game built on IQ and efficiency that ages beautifully. At 31, he remains the NBA's most unstoppable offensive force, a triple-double machine who controls games without relying on elite athleticism. GMs know what they're getting: a floor-raising engine who makes everyone around him better. Denver's continued contention is proof the window is still wide open, and the survey reflects that respect. Nobody in a front office is betting against the Joker in a playoff series - not after he averaged a near triple-double during Denver's 2026 playoff run, per NBA.com.
Why Wembanyama Won the Future Vote
Wembanyama's case is about trajectory. After another offseason of physical development, he's entering the season as the most coveted asset in basketball - a 7-foot-plus unicorn who guards all five positions, shoots from anywhere, and hasn't hit his ceiling yet. Last season, he led the league in blocks for the third straight year while averaging over 25 points and 10 rebounds, per Basketball-Reference. GMs aren't drafting for October. They're drafting for the next decade, and Wembanyama is the only player in the league who offers both elite production now and unlimited upside later.
What This Split Means for the League
The Wembanyama - Jokic divide is a perfect snapshot of the NBA in 2026: a battle between proven greatness and generational potential, playing out at the exact same time. It sets up a season-long storyline - every Spurs-Nuggets matchup, every MVP ladder update, every playoff projection.
| Category | Victor Wembanyama | Nikola Jokic |
|---|---|---|
| Age (as of Oct. 2026) | 22 | 31 |
| GM votes: Start a franchise | Over 80% | Under 15% |
| GM votes: Best player right now | Under 30% | Over 60% |
| Career MVP awards | 0 | 3 |
| Career championships | 0 | 1 |
| 2025-26 stat line | 25+ PPG, 10+ RPG, 4+ BPG | 28+ PPG, 12+ RPG, 9+ APG |
📊 This is the first time in NBA history that two players split the "best player now" and "best franchise building block" categories by such decisive margins - a true passing-of-the-torch moment happening in real time.
GMs have made their choice clear. They want Wembanyama to build around. They want Jokic to win with today. And for at least one more season, they believe both answers are correct.
The real answer won't come from a survey. It'll come from the court, and both players know it. Every Spurs-Nuggets tilt this season becomes appointment viewing - a heavyweight clash between the game's most refined mind and its most terrifying physical specimen. NBA GMs make their Victor Wembanyama vs. Nikola Jokic choice clear, but the basketball world will spend the next eight months debating whether they got it right. The only thing left to do is watch.
