Los Angeles Lakers superstar Luka Doncic is on pace to win the 2025-26 NBA scoring title. He's the only player in the NBA averaging at least 30.0 points and 8.0 assists per game. His average of 33.5 points per game would be the highest by a player other than himself since 2019-20.
For as compelling as all of those facts may be, Doncic doesn't seem to be getting all that much respect in MVP conversations. His head coach seems to have a problem with that narrative.
Doncic has been spectacular in 2025-26, leading the Lakers to a 45-25 record and a current hold on the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference. Along the way, he's amassed averages of 33.4 points, 8.4 assists, 7.9 rebounds, 1.6 steals, and 4.0 three-point field goals made per game on .477/.370/.772 shooting.
According to Law Murray of The Athletic, Lakers head coach JJ Redick contextualized Doncic's great numbers with a key point about his case for MVP: He elevates everyone around him.
“He’s really elevated his play at a really important time for our team. He’s elevated the play of his teammates. I think there’s a trust level that we all have, coaches, teammates, with him closing games for us. He’s been fantastic, and I think he’s one of the best and should be in the MVP conversation. Hopefully, people will start talking about that because he’s having as good a season as anyone.”
Though there an abundance of valid MVP candidates, Doncic's ability to dominate individually and elevate everyone around him makes him a compelling option for the award.
JJ Redick's case for Luka as MVP: He elevates everyone around him
Doncic's impact on winning is unavoidable. The Lakers outscore opponents by 3.4 points per 100 possessions when he's on the court and are being outscored by 2.0 when he isn't. The former may not be the most awe-inspiring number, but it speaks to how he's often the difference between winning and losing.
That's further established by the fact that the three-man lineup of Doncic, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves produces a net rating of +5.8, but James and Reaves are at -1.1 without Doncic on the court.
Furthermore, Doncic has made the game easier and more efficient for just about everyone around him. James, for instance, experiences an increase in true shooting percentage of 6.3 percent when Doncic is on the court compared to when he isn't.
Marcus Smart makes an even bigger jump of 8.5 percent, while Deandre Ayton's increases by 4.9, and Luke Kennard's goes up by 3.5 percent.
Luka makes the game easier for teammates, galvanizes Lakers in key moments
Beyond the numbers, there's a certain confidence the Lakers play with when he's on his game that just isn't there on the rare night that he's struggling. Bringing the numbers back in, that statement is supported by the fact that they're 29-10 when he scores at least 30 points and 10-9 when he plays but fails to.
That includes a 3-5 record when Doncic fails to score at least 25 points, thus revealing how small the margin for error truly is for him on a nightly basis.
Other candidates have compelling cases of their own, but for as talented as the Lakers' star trio is, they still go as far as Doncic takes them. That's further illustrated by the fact that Los Angeles is 18-4 when Doncic has at least 10 assists and 21-15 when he plays but fails to—a drop in winning percentage from .818 to .583.
Whether or not he ultimately wins MVP, the case for Doncic is simple: In addition being the NBA's scoring leader, he's the epitome of valuable to a team that goes as far as he enables them to.