Los Angeles Lakers superstar Luka Doncic has had a phenomenal start to the 2025-26 NBA season. Doncic is the league’s leading scorer and is currently among the frontrunners for the MVP award. There is a chance, though, that he might end up not even being eligible for it.
Players, of course, have to feature in at least 65 games to be eligible for end-of-season awards and honors. Furthermore, they have to be in the game for at least 20 minutes for it to count. They are allowed to include two games in which they played at least 15 minutes to their tally, but that is it.
With all that in mind, Doncic is among 16 NBA stars who are currently on pace to miss more than 17 games, which would make them ineligible.
Luka Doncic: 6 games missed out of 23
De’Aaron Fox: 8 games missed out of 23
Stephen Curry: 9 games missed out of 25
LaMelo Ball: 9 games missed out of 24 (1 additional game missed due to minutes)
Giannis Antetokounmpo: 10 games missed out of 25 (2 additional games missed due to minutes)
Kawhi Leonard: 10 games missed out of 24
Jarrett Allen: 10 games missed out of 25
Paolo Banchero: 11 games missed out of 24 (1 additional game missed due to minutes)
Victor Wembanyama: 11 games missed out of 23
Ja Morant: 13 games missed out of 24 (1 additional game missed due to minutes)
Domantas Sabonis: 13 games missed out of 24
Joel Embiid: 14 games missed out of 23
Zion Williamson: 15 games missed out of 25
LeBron James: 16 games missed out of 23
Anthony Davis: 16 games missed out of 25 (1 additional game missed due to minutes)
Darius Garland: 16 games missed out of 25
Doncic is the likeliest among this group to remain eligible, but he is on pace to miss about 20 games at this rate. It would be a real shame if the 26-year-old isn’t eligible come the end of the season, as we have seen some special basketball from him so far.
Doncic is averaging 35.0 points, 9.2 rebounds, 9.1 assists, 1.5 steals, and 0.6 blocks per game for a Lakers team that is second in the West with a 17-6 record. The Slovenian might have a better argument for the award this season than in any other of his career.
Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo was viewed as another MVP frontrunner, but it’s looking doubtful that he will play 65 games. Bucks head coach Doc Rivers hinted they might keep Antetokounmpo on the sidelines for around four weeks to ensure he fully recovers from his calf strain.
If Antetokounmpo does miss about a month, he will be ineligible. You certainly can understand the idea behind this rule, but the fact that someone who is averaging 28.9 points, 10.1 rebounds, 6.1 assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.9 blocks per game might not be in the running for any honor this season doesn’t seem right.
Antetokounmpo also came into this season having made an All-NBA team nine years in a row. That incredible run would be snapped as well.
Speaking of incredible runs ending, LeBron James is almost certainly going to see his end, too. James has made an All-NBA team for a record 21 consecutive seasons. He can miss only one more game the rest of the season to remain eligible, and you struggle to see a scenario in which he doesn’t sit out more.
While these 16 still at least have a chance of playing 65 games, there are others who have become ineligible at this early stage of the season. Jalen Williams, Trae Young, and Tyler Herro are among the notable players to have already missed more than 17 games.
