Inside the MVP numbers: Appeals paid off for Doncic and Cunningham, and Jokic's streak continues

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The All-NBA first team this season might have been decided in part by an appeals process.

Successful petitions by the Los Angeles Lakers ′ Luka Doncic and Detroit Pistons ′ Cade Cunningham to gain eligibility for awards such as MVP and All-NBA this season — even after they fell short of the 65-game minimum — seem like they're about to become very worthwhile. Doncic was fourth and Cunningham was fifth in the MVP voting, released Sunday night.

And since the All-NBA teams are now positionless, it would seem that puts Doncic and Cunningham in position to be first-team selections when the league releases those teams in the coming days.

The voting process is this: The NBA polls 100 reporters and broadcasters who cover the league and has them select their top choices in various categories. For MVP, voters rank their top five selections in order — and since All-NBA follows the same process, it stands to reason that the same voters would have first-team All-NBA listed in identical fashion to their MVP choices.

That would suggest the All-NBA first team would be MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of Oklahoma City, Nikola Jokic of Denver, Victor Wembanyama of San Antonio, Doncic and Cunningham.

Doncic and Cunningham both appeared in 64 games this season. But the league and the National Basketball Players Association both agreed that each should be on the ballot based on the “extraordinary circumstances provision” in the collective bargaining agreement.

Doncic missed two games to attend the birth of his daughter in Slovenia. Cunningham missed 12 games as a result of a collapsed lung that was diagnosed on March 17.

Cunningham got two first-place votes in the MVP balloting. He's the first U.S.-born player to get any of those in the last five years.

The last time an American-born player got a first-place vote was 2021, when Stephen Curry got five, Chris Paul got two and Derrick Rose got one.

Jokic finished second in the MVP race, and he joined a pair of Boston Celtics Hall of Famers by doing that in six consecutive seasons.

Jokic won the award in 2021, 2023 and 2024, plus was second in 2022, 2025 and again this year.

Bill Russell won in 1958, 1961, 1962 and 1963, while finishing second in 1959 and 1960. Larry Bird was second in 1981, 1982 and 1983 before winning in 1984, 1985 and 1986.

Jokic has now also received at least one first-place MVP vote in each of the last six years, the longest active streak.

Only Gilgeous-Alexander, Jokic and Wembanyama appeared on all 100 ballots cast in the MVP race this season.

Gilgeous-Alexander got 83 first-place votes, 13 second-place votes, three third-place votes and one fourth-place vote.

Jokic got 10 first-place votes, 48 second-place votes, 37 third-place votes, four fourth-place votes and one fifth-place vote.

Wembanyama received five first-place votes, 36 second-place votes, 47 third-place votes, 10 fourth-place votes and two fifth-place votes.

Doncic appeared on 92 ballots and Cunningham was on 59.

The No. 1 pick drought in the MVP race continues.

It’s now 13 consecutive years since a No. 1 draft pick won the MVP award, going back to LeBron James – then of Miami – in 2013. James was ineligible for votes this year because he did not meet the 65-game minimum,

The MVPs, and their draft slot, since his win in 2013:

— Kevin Durant, MVP in 2014, No. 2 pick in 2007

— Stephen Curry, MVP in 2015 and 2016, No. 7 pick in 2009

— Russell Westbrook, MVP in 2017, No. 4 pick in 2008

— James Harden, MVP in 2018, No. 3 pick in 2009

— Giannis Antetokounmpo, MVP in 2019 and 2020, No. 15 pick in 2013

— Nikola Jokic, MVP in 2021, 2022 and 2024, No. 41 pick in 2014

— Joel Embiid, MVP in 2023, No. 3 pick in 2014

— Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, MVP in 2025 and 2026, No. 11 pick in 2018

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/nba

Los Angeles Lakers' Luka Doncic takes a shot during a time out from play in the second half of Game 1 in a second-round NBA basketball playoffs series against the Oklahoma City Thunder Tuesday, May 5, 2026 in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Kyle Phillips)

Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) loses control of the ball in front of Cleveland Cavaliers guard Dennis Schroder, front, in the second half of Game 3 of a second-round NBA playoffs basketball series Saturday, May 9, 2026 in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The Philippine Senate convened as an impeachment court Monday for the trial of Vice President Sara Duterte over criminal charges, in a time of deep divisions that erupted into an exchange of gunfire last week in the chamber.

The House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly to impeach Duterte last Monday over alleged unexplained wealth, misuse of state funds and a public threat to have the president assassinated if she herself were killed due to their political disputes.

The vice president, who has announced her plan to seek the presidency in 2028, has denied the charges but has refused to answer the allegations in detail.

Her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, has been detained by the International Criminal Court on charges of crimes against humanity. The charges stem from anti-drugs crackdowns he ordered while in power that killed thousands of mostly petty suspects.

Ahead of the impeachment trial, 13 of 24 senators led by allies of the Dutertes suddenly wrested the presidency of the Senate last Monday, leaving the outcome of the trial in question.

The vice president has blamed President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., her former ally and running mate in the 2022 election, for “kidnapping” her ailing father, referring to his arrest and transfer to the international court in The Hague last March.

The escalating disputes between the country’s two top leaders reflect the deep divisions that have long plagued the rambunctious Asian democracy.

One of the senators, Ronald dela Rosa, served as Rodrigo Duterte’s national police chief and enforced his bloody crackdowns on illegal drugs. The ICC has named dela Rosa as a co-conspirator and unsealed a warrant for his arrest last Monday.

That same day, Dela Rosa, who was absent from the Senate for months for fear of arrest, suddenly showed up in the chamber to enable Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, a key ally of the Dutertes, to gain a slim majority and capture the Senate presidency.

Dela Rosa told reporters he came out of hiding and went to the Senate using Cayetano’s van but was nearly arrested by National Bureau of Investigation agents. He dashed into a stairway and ran to the Senate plenary hall, where Cayetano and other allies placed him under the chamber’s “protective custody.”

A tense standoff between the Senate’s security personnel and government agents positioned in an adjacent government building escalated into an exchange of fire Wednesday night with the Senate personnel firing what their chief, Mao Aplasca, said were warning shots. Marcos appealed to the public to remain calm in a late-night call on national TV.

Cayetano later said that dela Rosa had disappeared from the Senate. Authorities said they were investigating the possibility that the exchange of fire may have been instigated to enable dela Rosa's escape.

Philippine Senator Paolo Benigno "Bam" Aguirre Aquino IV, center, looks at his phone as they convene as an impeachment court for the trial of Vice President Sara Duterte at the Philippine senate, Monday, May 18, 2026, in Pasay, Philippines. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Philippine senators convene as an impeachment court for the trial of Vice President Sara Duterte at the Philippine senate, Monday, May 18, 2026, in Pasay, Philippines. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Philippine Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano bangs the gavel as they convene as an impeachment court for the trial of Vice President Sara Duterte at the Philippine senate, Monday, May 18, 2026, in Pasay, Philippines. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Philippine senator Robin Padilla, left, and Christopher "Bong" Go takes oath as they convene as an impeachment court for the trial of Vice President Sara Duterte at the Philippine senate, Monday, May 18, 2026, in Pasay, Philippines. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Philippine senators take oath as they convene as an impeachment court for the trial of Vice President Sara Duterte at the Philippine senate, Monday, May 18, 2026, in Pasay, Philippines. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Police personnel stand behind their shields outside the Senate of the Philippines, in Manila, Thursday May 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Gerard Carreon)