Luka Doncic has often been touted as an MVP contender, finishing as a member of the All-NBA First Team for the last two seasons, and looking bound to add a third this season. Considering Doncic is just in his fourth NBA season and was Rookie of the Year his first season, Luka is on track for a historic career.
Despite being in the race for MVP, Doncic has fallen short of Giannis Antetokounmpo in 2020 and Nikola Jokic in 2021, not finishing top three either year. It doesn’t look like he will be finishing top three this year either, with Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid, and Giannis Antetokounmpo looking set to be the top finishers.
However, Doncic is quietly having an incredible season. His team’s win total is better than any of the other top-three contenders, and alongside Jokic, he is the only player whose teammates weren’t All-Stars. With the Mavericks and Luka being in great form for the last three months, Mavs head coach Jason Kidd commented on the Doncic’s MVP hopes.
Jason Kidd, making his case for Luka Doncic in the MVP race: "Sometimes we get bored of seeing someone do what Luka’s done. Sometimes you take it for granted because that’s just the norm, but sometimes the norm is pretty special.”https://t.co/wI6foJOuin
— Callie Caplan (@CallieCaplan) April 5, 2022
“I think (Doncic)’s stats speak for themselves,” Kidd said. “What he’s done, if we finish four or three [in the West], that’s pretty special, too. I don’t know if history has said this, but we’ve never had an MVP in the sixth position, so that would be different.
“Sometimes we get bored of seeing someone do what Luka’s done,” Kidd said. “Sometimes you take it for granted because that’s just the norm, but sometimes the norm is pretty special. I truly believe, over the next 10 years or longer, he’s going to win multiple MVPs.”
Doncic is averaging 28.3 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 8.8 assists, as the Mavericks have a record of 50-29. These are MVP-calibre numbers and Doncic’s importance to the Mavericks is well-known. Hopefully, he can keep this pace for the next few years and be a threat in the MVP race as his profile raises.
