Luka Doncic is making a case for MVP that everyone should be paying attention to. Unfortunately, the Los Angeles Lakers superstar has been cast aside to some degree, with many downplaying his candidacy based on dated narratives.
It's half past time MVP voters overlook what's no longer true and allow the current version of Doncic to exist separate from the narratives that fail to reflect reality.
Doncic is on pace to win the 2025-26 scoring title with an average of 33.8 points per game. He's doing so while shooting efficiency at a clip of .477/.368/.779. Doncic is also fourth in the NBA in assists per game at 8.3, is sixth in steals per outing at 1.6, and ranks in the top 25 in rebounding at 7.8 per contest.
Doncic is thus on pace to post the second season in NBA history with averages of at least 33.0 points, 8.0 assists, and 7.0 rebounds per game. The other player to do so: Himself in 2023-24.
Furthermore, Doncic has led the Lakers to 50 wins, a clinched playoff appearance, and a current spot as the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference. They've done so by winning 16 of their past 18 games at arguably the most important point of the regular season, with Doncic averaging 36.8 points per game during that time.
Unfortunately, all the critics seem to be willing to focus on is the same tired narratives about defense and the manner in which having star-caliber teammates depletes an MVP case.
Luka Doncic is playing at an MVP level, so where's the hype?
Defense has been a steady theme in terms of the criticism Doncic has faced throughout his career. There have been flashes of brilliance, but between his ball-watching and lackluster off-ball intensity, MVP voters have been reluctant to praise his offense without first acknowledging his flaws.
Though Doncic isn't an elite defender by any definition, he's improved his effort, become a factor in the passing lanes, and quietly emerged as a high-level pick-and-roll disruptor.
According to Basketball Index, Doncic ranks in the 97th percentile in screener mobile defense and the 94th percentile in screener rim defense. He also places in the 90th percentile in passing lane defense. Though his on and off-ball metrics grade in an underwhelming manner, his impact is by no means exclusively negative.
Though it's fair to ask for more from him on defense, it's also irresponsible to believe that he fails to positively influence the game on that end of the floor.
Lakers' stars play losing minutes without Luka Doncic
The other knock against Doncic as an MVP candidate is that he's a part of the most offensively prolific star trio in the NBA. Doncic, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves are the only three teammates in the NBA averaging at least 20.0 points per game—and all three also check in at 5.0 assists or more.
For as brilliant as James and Reaves are individually, the harsh reality remains that they've failed to play winning minutes without Doncic.
According to Cleaning the Glass, the Lakers' star trio is producing a net rating of +11.3 that ranks in the 93rd percentile of three-man NBA lineups. Simply remove Doncic and leave James and Reaves on the court together and the net rating plummets to -2.9, which ranks in the 40th percentile.
In other words: The Lakers go from certifiably elite with Doncic alongside the co-stars to playing losing minutes when he isn't next to them. That's an MVP-level fact that should be spreading across the NBA-sphere.
Unfortunately, it's not nearly as heralded as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's efficiency, Victor Wembanyama's defense, or Nikola Jokic's generational production. One can't help but attribute that fact to disproven narratives.