NBA Legend Dirk Nowitzki Makes Luka Doncic Prediction Without Hesitation

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Angelo Guinhawa | Last updated Oct 21, 2025 9:54 PM ET

As Luka Doncic enters his first full season with the Los Angeles Lakers, there are plenty of eyes on him and the level of impact he will make on the storied franchise. The pressure on him to deliver is even greater with LeBron James reportedly out until mid-November due to sciatica.

Doncic, who was traded to the Lakers from the Dallas Mavericks in the middle of the 2024-25 season, averaged 28.2 points, 8.1 rebounds, 7.5 assists and 1.6 steals in 28 games played in L.A. during the regular season.

In the playoffs, he upped his scoring to 30.2 points on 45.2% shooting. Unfortunately, his efforts were not enough to overcome the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round.

Luka Doncic makes his preseason debut for the Los Angeles Lakers.Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

For the 2025-26 season, many believe that Doncic is more than capable of leading the way for the Lakers. In fact, Mavs legend Dirk Nowitzki seen an MVP award on the horizon for his good friend and former teammate.

"I'm gonna go with Luka," Nowitzki said when asked about his MVP pick, per Bleacher Report. "I think he's gonna put up some great numbers."

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For what it's worth, Nowitzki was not alone in his take. Fellow Mavs legend Steve Nash also named Doncic when asked about his MVP prediction, while sports reporter Taylor Rooks had the same thoughts and mentioned how she was impressed by the Slovenian star's conditioning during the offseason.

It's worth noting that Doncic improved his physique after criticisms about his weight emerged in the aftermath of his trade to the Lakers.

Sure enough, it will be interesting to see if Doncic can live up to expectations. The 26-year-old guard did finish in the top three in MVP voting in 2023-24, but he was ineligible for the award last season after missing much of the season due to injury.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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