The Athletic’s 2026 anonymous NBA player survey, which gathers hundreds of confidential ballots from active players, highlighted three members of the Los Angeles Lakers: guard Luka Doncic, guard Austin Reaves and head coach JJ Redick. Results placed the trio at opposite ends of several categories, reflecting divided opinions around the league.
Doncic Listed Among Most Overrated Players
Doncic received 3.7% of the 81 votes cast in the “most overrated” category, tying for seventh place with Deni Avdija (Portland Trail Blazers), Scottie Barnes (Toronto Raptors) and Pascal Siakam (Indiana Pacers). Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun topped the list at 12.3%, followed by Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert and Washington Wizards guard Trae Young, each with 8.6%.
Before a Grade 2 left hamstring strain ended his regular season early, Doncic led the NBA in scoring at 33.5 points per game and ranked third in assists with 8.3. He guided Los Angeles to a top-four finish in the Western Conference and is expected to finish in the top five of MVP voting while securing a sixth consecutive All-NBA First Team selection.
Reaves Again Viewed as Underrated
For a second straight year, Reaves appeared near the top of the “most underrated” list. Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson and Boston Celtics guard Derrick White shared first place with 4% of the vote. Reaves collected 3.3%, matching Portland guard Jrue Holiday and Boston guards Jaylen Brown and Payton Pritchard.
The 25-year-old posted career highs with 23.3 points per game while assuming a larger playmaking role, though injuries shortened his breakthrough campaign. He enters the offseason eligible for a new contract.
Redick Splits Opinions Among Coaches
Redick, in his second season on the Lakers’ bench, appeared on both coaching leaderboards. He drew 4.8% of 151 ballots in the “most impressive coach” poll, finishing eighth. Boston’s Joe Mazzulla led that category at 17.8%, followed by Oklahoma City’s Mark Daigneault (15.8%) and Detroit’s J.B. Bickerstaff (11%).
The former sharpshooter also landed on the “least impressive coach” list, tying for 10th with Brooklyn’s Jordi Fernandez, Houston’s Ime Udoka, Dallas’ Jason Kidd and former Orlando coach Jamahl Mosley. Despite guiding an injury-hit roster to the postseason, a segment of players remains unconvinced by his performance.
The Athletic’s annual survey covers topics ranging from on-court performance to coaching perception, providing a rare look at how players view their peers and mentors across the league.
Source: LakersNation.com
