Luka Doncic Misses Out on MVP Finalist Spot Despite League-Leading 33.5 PPG
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LOS ANGELES — The NBA on Thursday revealed its three finalists for the 2025-26 Most Valuable Player award: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder, Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs and Nikola Jokić of the Denver Nuggets.
The announcement leaves Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic outside the top three despite posting the league’s highest scoring average at 33.5 points per game. Doncic also contributed 7.7 rebounds, 8.3 assists and 1.6 steals while shooting 47.6 percent from the field and 36.6 percent from beyond the arc.
Injury and Games-Played Minimum Affect Ballot Position
Doncic’s campaign lost momentum after a left hamstring strain ended his regular season at 64 games—one short of the NBA’s 65-game requirement for awards eligibility. The 27-year-old successfully filed an Extraordinary Circumstances appeal because he missed two December contests for the birth of his daughter, making him eligible for consideration.
Even with the exemption, voters placed Gilgeous-Alexander, Wembanyama and Jokić ahead of him. Doncic is widely expected to finish fourth when final totals are released.
Accolades Still Expected
During the season, Doncic earned multiple Western Conference Player of the Month honors—no other West player received more than one—and guided the Lakers to a 15-2 record in March before the injury. League observers anticipate he will be named First-Team All-NBA for the sixth time when those selections are announced.
Doncic Thanks League and Union
In a statement, the Slovenian star expressed gratitude to the National Basketball Players Association, the NBA and the Lakers’ front office for approving his eligibility request. “It was so important to me to be present for the birth of my daughter in December,” Doncic wrote, adding appreciation for team governor Jeanie Buss, general manager Rob Pelinka and head coach JJ Redick for their support.
With the MVP race settled, Doncic and the Lakers now turn their attention to postseason play, where the guard is expected to return from his hamstring injury.
Source: LakersNation.com
