No Dunks Podcast Episode Summary

Episode: NBA Award Predictions (MVP, Rookie, DPOY, Etc.) | 2025-26 NBA Season Preview
Date: October 13, 2025
Hosts: Jay Skeats, Tas Melas, Trey Kirby, JD (Super Producer)

Overview

In this episode, the No Dunks crew delivers their annual NBA awards predictions for the 2025-26 season, breaking down favorites and dark horses for every major honor: MVP, Most Improved, Rookie of the Year, Sixth Man, Defensive Player of the Year, Coach of the Year, and Clutch Player of the Year. They weigh Vegas odds, debate narrative factors, and provide deep-cut insights plus some offbeat, classic No Dunks banter.

Key Discussion Points & Timestamps

1. Setting the Table: The Guys Warm Up

• [01:35–04:01] Banter about Thanksgiving, Blue Jays baseball, and Harry the Hawk’s performance at the Atlanta Pride Parade kicks off the show.
• Typical No Dunks flavor with light jokes and mascot mayhem before hitting NBA topics.

2. MVP Predictions

• [04:11–17:22]
• Favorites:
  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jokic, Luka Doncic, Giannis, Wemby, Anthony Edwards
• Picks:
  • Tas: Luka Doncic – “I think he’s the healthiest he’s been in his NBA career… there’s the recipe for like what he did with the Mavs, but I think he’s even healthier, to be honest.” (06:00)
  • Trey: Nikola Jokic – “If you can look at him on the odds boards and he’s not number one, why not, right?” (09:24)
  • Skeets: Jokic – “I think he’s going to get his fourth here because they should be a good team and obviously he’s going to have the stats.” (14:45)
• Dark Horses: Cade Cunningham (“Cade, the SGA of the Eastern Conference” (15:30)), Victor Wembanyama (if Spurs win 50 games), Jalen Brunson, Donovan Mitchell.

3. Most Improved Player (MIP)

• [17:22–28:02]

• Favorites per Odds: Amen Thompson, Deni Avdija, Andrew Nembhard, Benedict Mathurin, Asar Thompson, Matas Buzelis.

• Picks:

  • Trey: Victor Wembanyama – “I think he will be on actual MVP ballots by the end of the season … so it’s way down there on the odds, but I’ll take Wemby.” (18:17)
  • Tas: Asar Thompson – “He’s going to be given the leash, especially with this new Pistons team with Malik Beasley gone.” (21:35)
  • Skeets: Shaedon Sharpe – “He went monster – 30 point per game scoring games … he’s turning into sort of a lead guy there a little bit.” (23:13)

• Dark Horses: Jalen Johnson (“If he stays healthy… he’s awesome and he’s going to have a huge role for Atlanta this year.” (25:15)), Nikola Jovic, Reed Sheppard, Cam Whitmore.

• Notable Stat: MIP often coincides with a player shooting abnormally well from three for one season (24:34).

4. Rookie of the Year

• [29:32–37:52]

• Overwhelming Favorite: Cooper Flagg (-220 at time of recording)

• Picks:

  • All agree on Cooper Flagg.
  • Runner-up buzz: Ace Bailey (hosts highlight his scoring opportunity for the Jazz) (31:29).

• Other Notables: VJ Edgecombe (“could have the best highlights of any rookie.” (32:43)), Jon Hansen (Portland big may have monster numbers in spurts), Heat rookie Yako Chonis (“has a kamikaze element to him. He’s like jet fuel…” – Erik Spoelstra, 36:38).

• Key Point: No 65-game minimum for ROTY; stats matter much more than team wins (33:26).

• Fun banter: “Chili Con Canipple” as a fantasy name for guard Con Knipple (34:57).

5. Sixth Man of the Year

• [40:05–45:50]
• Favorites: Naz Reid, DeAndre Hunter, Josh Hart, Ty Jerome, John Collins, Jordan Clarkson, Anthony Simons.
• Picks:
  • Tas: Dante DiVincenzo – “I think DiVincenzo’s going to have a lot bigger role … he’ll put forth some good numbers.” (42:04)
  • Trey: Josh Hart – “Last year, nine triple doubles. He just fills up the box score … Josh Hart’s kind of do it all in.” (43:15)
  • Skeets: Khalil Ware (Miami Heat) – “Averaging 20 and 11 in preseason … this is the guy’s numbers I was looking at.” (44:14)
• Dark Horses: Ty Jerome (pending Ja Morant’s health), Tari Eason (if Jabari Smith Jr. starts), PJ Washington.

6. Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY)

• [46:22–53:36]
• Favorite: Victor Wembanyama (-185)
• Picks:
  • Trey: “It’s Wemby. The only question is if he hits the requirements on games played. He’s Deion Sanders-esque, takes up half the court…” (47:13)
  • Tas: Wemby, pending 65-game threshold: “This is his award to lose.” (47:57)
  • Skeets: Dark horse: Evan Mobley (won last year and “these guys can repeat, three peat, win four of these things.” (52:11))
• Others Noted: Anthony Davis, Bam Adebayo, Paolo Banchero, Dyson Daniels, Ivica Zubac (+10,000), acknowledging that team defense can help secondary candidates.
• Fun nickname alert: “French Vanilla” for the Wemby–Cornet frontcourt. (49:40)

7. Coach of the Year

• [55:06–59:58]
• Favorites: Mosley (Magic), Snyder (Hawks), Bickerstaff (Pistons), Mike Brown (Knicks), Udoka (Rockets)
• Picks:
  • Trey: Joe Mazzulla (Celtics) “If the Celtics aren’t bad, it’s going to be because they run up and down the court and chuck threes.” (56:58)
  • Tas: Quinn Snyder (Hawks) – previous runner-up, narrative plus an innovative coach (57:57)
  • Skeets: Stays chalk with Jamahl Mosley (Magic) as the favorite—Magic to improve 10–12 wins. (58:51)
• Other Names Discussed: Rick Carlisle (Pacers, 25:1), Mitch Johnson (Spurs), Ty Lue (Clippers), Erik Spoelstra (Heat), Kenny Atkinson (Cavs).

8. Clutch Player of the Year

• [60:18–64:11]

• Favorites: Jalen Brunson, Anthony Edwards, Kevin Durant, Luka, Jokic.

• Picks:

  • Trey: Trae Young (15:1) – “He’s a clutch player and he’s going to have the opportunity to show his stuff.” (61:38)
  • Tas: Steph Curry – “They’ll get to the last few minutes and they’ll give him the ball…he’s already won it.” (62:23)
  • Skeets: Kevin Durant – “Purely because of narrative reasons… they basically went and got this guy for this reason—hey, we need clutch shots.” (63:31)

• Meta note: SGA and Jokic’s candidacies may be docked if their teams win too easily and avoid close games.

• Bonus Banter: Who will be “the best player never to win Clutch Player of the Year,” and jokes about Hustle Award metrics. (64:16)

9. Final Notes & Notable Moments

• [65:31–71:18] Keegan Murray’s injury discussed as it relates to the Kings’ season outlook and potential impact on over/under picks.
• Banter closes with fake Executive of the Year picks: “I think they gotta scrap it. It’s a team. It’s a front office award. They gotta do multiple guys” (71:51)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Luka’s narrative: “He is a perennial preseason MVP favorite. As we exercise every freaking year.” – Jay Skeats (08:29)
• On MVP fatigue: “Do you feel like voters are itching to give Jokic a fourth MVP or the opposite? ...I love that debate.” – Jay Skeats (10:03)
• On Wemby as DPOY: “He’s Deion Sanders-esque in that he takes up half the court. And unfortunately for the offensive team, it is the half underneath the basket.” – Trey Kirby (47:20)
• On MIP voting: “The most improved player trophy may need to be renamed the player who happened to get hot from three trophy.” (24:34; quoting Zandrick Ellison from NBA Reddit)
• On Coach of the Year trends: “There’s three trends. It’s either coach of the best team, coach with biggest turnaround, or overachiever vs. preseason expectations.” – Jay Skeats (57:13)
• On the Clutch Award: “Who do you think is going to be awesome the last two minutes of a game?” – Trey Kirby (61:24)
• On naming conventions: “Chili Con Canipple… that sounds more like a fantasy name, something you could come up with.” – Trey Kirby (34:46)
• Best running gag: “French Vanilla” (Wembanyama + Cornet defensive tandem) (49:40)
• On the oddities of stats: “Everybody knows the [Hustle] award is decided using a metric known as hustle stats…” – Trey Kirby (64:27)

Additional Notes

• The hosts repeatedly emphasize the importance of health (65-game rule) for award eligibility and the impact of team context/narratives.
• Throughout, the crew provides both statistical logic and narrative-based reasoning for each category, often offering listener-friendly explanations of odds movements and potential surprise picks.
• Characteristic No Dunks verbal flair and camaraderie lighten up a detailed, stats-heavy discussion.
• Listeners are continually encouraged to play along, submit their own picks, and interact with the show on social media.

For First-Time Listeners

This episode is a quintessential No Dunks experience—insightful, funny, and filled with both sharp NBA analysis and offbeat, brotherly banter—perfect for getting ready for the 2025-26 NBA season or catching up on the season’s juiciest award races.