Stephen A. Smith Says Luka Doncic Will Be The MVP This Season: “He’s An International Figure…”

Stephen A. Smith explains why Luka Doncic will be an MVP favorite this year.

3 Min Read

Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

With just two days of the NBA season in the books, it’s far, far too early to be making predictions on regular-season awards. As we have seen time and time again, it’s not really so much about how players start the season as it is about how they end it.

But on the set of First Take Thursday morning, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith showed no hesitation in naming his pick for the 2022-23 NBA MVP. 


Stephen A. Smith Reveals His Pick For MVP This NBA Season

In Stephen A. Smith’s mind, Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic is primed to win the award based on his level of play and his international brand. Here’s what he said on the show, in a debate with Kendrick Perkins.

“The question is who is gonna win MVP this year. I’m of the mindset it’s gonna be Luka Doncic,” said Smith. “I just believe that. I mean, I believe he’s that brother. I believe he’s big-time. And unlike Ja Morant, as phenomenal and great as Ja Morant is, I think it’ll be a close race between them two and others. But Luke’s an international figure. He’s not from here. And I think that combined with his game obviously is gonna play a huge, huge role in some of those votes he’s gonna end up getting. Dallas knocked on the door last year in getting to the Conference Finals, even though they ended up losing that game last night, they had it well in hand. We know what they are capable of now. I think the Christian Wood pickup was good for them as well.”

Stephen A. made a pretty compelling case for Luka, who has already been in the MVP discussion several times. And while Kendrick Perkins is also high on Luka, he chose to pick Ja Morant as his MVP instead.

“I was talked about when I told the world this guy was a combination of Russell Westbrook, Kyrie Irving, and Rajon Rondo. When you talk about his skill set, he’s right there with Kyrie Irving. When you talk about his athleticism, he’s right there with Russell Westbrook. When you talk about his court vision and that playmaking ability, he’s right there with Rajon Rondo.”

No matter who ends up with the MVP this year, neither Luka nor Ja will be focused on pursuing personal accolades, anyway.

For Doncic especially, he’s looking to build upon last season, which would mean securing a trip to the NBA Finals. It’s an ambitious goal for the Mavs, but Luka might just be good enough to pull it off. In his debut yesterday, he put up 35 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists per game on 43% shooting.

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Nico Martinez is a veteran staff writer for Fadeaway World from Brooklyn, New York. He joined Fadeaway World in 2016 and is currently residing in Columbia, South Carolina. Nico holds a degree in Sports Management from Columbia International University where he built a strong foundation in the inner workings of sports media and management. Nico's contributions have significantly enhanced the credibility and depth of Fadeaway World's content, earning him recognition across the sports journalism community. His work has been discussed in prestigious publications like Sports Illustrated. A dedicated follower of LeBron James, Nico often leads coverage on news related to the basketball star. With nearly a decade of experience in sports journalism, Nico consistently provides comprehensive and timely basketball news, engaging a wide audience of basketball enthusiasts.Nico's most desired player to interview, past or present, is Kevin Durant. He is particularly keen on asking Durant if he has any regrets about his career, especially concerning his departure from the Oklahoma City Thunder, and why he engages so much with fans on social media. 
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