LOS ANGELES — A wave of anger swept through the Los Angeles Lakers’ fan base on Monday, May 18, 2026, after the NBA’s Most Valuable Player voting results showed Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic receiving an unexpectedly high number of votes.
Within minutes of the announcement, Lakers fans crowded social media platforms to voice frustration over what they described as a “shocking” tally for Doncic. Many questioned how the vote distribution left their own team’s players behind, expressing disbelief at the gap.
The backlash was particularly fierce on X and Instagram, where Lakers supporters posted memes, statistics and pointed comments aimed at voters. Hashtags criticizing the outcome quickly trended in Southern California.
Neither the NBA nor individual voters immediately responded to the flood of complaints. Doncic, 27, concluded the regular season averaging a triple-double while guiding Dallas to a top-four seed in the Western Conference.
Meanwhile, Lakers fans argued that the award should have favored a Los Angeles player following the team’s strong finish. Despite the uproar, the league’s final vote totals remain unchanged.
Source: New York Post
