Why Lakers' Luka Doncic merits MVP in a crowded field

The 2025-2026 MVP race in the NBA is heating up as the season enters its final stretch. 

Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder) and Victor Wembanyama (San Antonio Spurs) have delivered impressive seasons. But superstar Luka Doncic — who scored 32 points in a 113-110 loss to Detroit on Monday — has been playing terrifically and efficiently as the driving force for the Los Angeles Lakers (46-26), currently the third seed in the West. 

He should be the frontrunner for MVP.

Why Luka Doncic should be MVP frontrunner

You know the Doncic story. The 27-year-old superstar has earned five first-team All-NBA nods and led the Dallas Mavericks to an NBA Finals appearance in 2024, but was surprisingly traded to the Lakers in February 2025 in perhaps the worst trade in NBA history. The Mavericks (23-49 this season) have cratered while the Lakers have soared with Doncic.

Doncic is having one of the best statistical seasons of his career, averaging an NBA-high 33.4 points, 7.9 rebounds and 8.4 assists and shooting 47.4% from the field. 

Doncic, who thrives on using pick-and-roll schemes and being a supreme playmaker, led the Lakers on a nine-game winning streak that was snapped Monday. In the past 10 games, he is averaging 39.2 points, 8.3 rebounds, 7.3 assists and 2.6 steals. 

Doncic's impact is even being felt on defense, where he has struggled in the past. 

“He’s been more active with rotations and being physical with our switching groups," Lakers coach JJ Redick said recently, per Yahoo, adding: "When he’s fully on defensively, he can guard the basketball. We’ve seen him do it against everybody in this league. We trust him.” 

A deep and competitive MVP pool

Wembanyama, Gilgeous-Alexander and Jokic have legitimate cases to win the award.

Wembanyama, 22, has emerged as one of the league's top superstars. The Spurs (54-18) sit at the second spot in the Western Conference standings in large part because of Wembanyama's dominance. 

The 2023 first overall pick is averaging 24.3 points, 11.2 rebounds and three blocks and is an immense force on defense. If the Spurs can somehow earn the No. 1 overall seed, it would be hard to argue against Wembanyama winning the MVP. 

"I think right now, there is a debate," he said Monday about the MVP award. "My goal is to make sure there is no debate at the end of the season."

Gilgeous-Alexander aims to capture his second consecutive MVP award. He is averaging 31.6 points and shooting a highly efficient 55.3% from the field. 

The reigning NBA Finals MVP has powered the Thunder to 12 straight wins, delivering numerous clutch moments and breaking awe-inspiring records this season. If the Thunder can secure the No. 1 overall seed in the Western Conference, the 27-year-old could become the only player for the Thunder (57-15) to have multiple MVP awards.

Jokic missed 16 games because of injury for Denver (44-28), but since returning, he has continued to produce at an elite level. Over the past 11 games, Jokic is averaging 24.7 points, 12.5 rebounds, 11 assists and 1.2 blocks. 

If three-time MVP Jokic wins another award, he will join Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (six), Michael Jordan (five), Bill Russell (five), Wilt Chamberlain (four) and LeBron James (four) as the only players to win four or more MVP awards.

But tap the brakes on the MVP cases for Wemby, SGA and The Joker for now. They have better supporting casts than Doncic does. This award should be the Los Angeles superstar's to lose.