The 2025-26 NBA season has been one of the most exciting ones in recent years. With several players showcasing their talents at the highest level, the race for prestigious accolades like the MVP award has been tight. Despite his best efforts, however, Los Angeles Lakers superstar Luka Doncic has officially been eliminated from the running.
This season has been a particularly special one for Luka Doncic. After undergoing an extreme physical transformation in the offseason, Doncic was primed to have an MVP-caliber performance. In the process of asserting himself as the primary option for the Purple and Gold, the Slovenian quickly cemented himself as one of the best offensive players in the league.
While securing the scoring title with an average of 33.5 points, Luka Doncic also posted 7.7 rebounds and 8.3 assists per game on 47.6% shooting from the field and 36.6% from three-point range. For all intents and purposes, he was playing some of the best basketball of his career.
Given his impact on the floor and the Lakers’ 53-29 record (4th in the West), Doncic’s chances of winning the MVP award seemed solid. After an explosive series of outings in March, it seemed likely that the superstar’s position in the race would improve, too. Unfortunately, this wasn’t the case.
Despite putting his best foot forward, Luka Doncic found himself sliding down the MVP ladder. To make matters worse, a hamstring injury eventually sidelined him for the remainder of the regular season, putting him at risk of missing out on all end-of-season awards because of the NBA’s 65-game eligibility criteria.
Even though Luka Doncic’s appeal for eligibility was eventually accepted, the current situation seems unfortunate. However, when considering the three MVP finalists, it is also difficult to underplay how strong their respective cases are.
Luka Doncic Lost Out To Stronger Contenders
As solid as Luka Doncic’s case to be named MVP was, there is a good reason to believe that the three finalists had a stronger case.
San Antonio Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama has been the most dominant two-way player in the NBA this season. While consistently dominating on offense, averaging 25.0 points and 11.1 rebounds per game, Wembanyama has also posted a league-high 3.1 blocks per game, positioning himself as a favorite to win DPOY, too.
The Oklahoma City Thunder‘s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has also been equally impressive. After his MVP campaign last season, Gilgeous-Alexander has been just as promising this year, leading his team to a league-best 64-18 finish while averaging 31.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 6.6 assists per game.
Finally, Denver Nuggets big man Nikola Jokic finds himself back in the running for the prestigious award after a historic season. With averages of 27.7 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 10.7 assists per game, Jokic has arguably been the best player in the NBA. Given that he also ended the season as the statistical leader in two categories (rebounds and assists), Jokic continues to assert his status as a perennial MVP candidate.
Though it remains debatable, when examining the achievements of each finalist, Luka Doncic’s elimination from the MVP race seems slightly more palatable. Still, considering the season he had, Doncic will likely be disappointed with the outcome.
