Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic landed at No. 4 in ESPN's NBA Rank 2026. It was a completely fair ranking. Spot-on, actually. Nikola Jokic, Victor Wembanyama, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander all deserve to be above Doncic heading into the 2026-27 campaign.
Doncic deservedly landed on the list ahead of a declining (as of late) Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jalen Brunson, even despite Brunson's triumphant and historic title season. After all, Doncic won his second scoring title in three years last season by averaging north of 33 points per game. He made All-NBA First Team for a sixth time and remains the best offensive engine in the league.
There's a reason the Lakers felt comfortable moving on from LeBron James this summer and building a new era around Luka. However, for the Lakers to climb the mountaintop in their post-LeBron world and become serious title contenders, Luka will need to be better than the No. 4 player in the world. That sounds like it's asking a bit much, but not for a player of Luka's talent level.
This all makes one wonder ... what would Doncic have to do to climb the rankings and become the undisputed best basketball player on Earth by this time next year?
There are a few bullet points to the answer, but overall, it's actually pretty simple: If Luka does three things in 2026-27, he has a great chance to land at No. 1 on the ESPN NBA Rank 2027 next September.
Luka Doncic's to-do list to become the best player in the world in 2027
1. Finish a postseason
Easier said than done for Luka in recent memory. He's only been on the floor for a single playoff win in two postseasons with the Lakers. It's all about durability, of course. He missed last postseason with a hamstring ailment that wasn't worth putting in harm's way.
But the harsh truth remains that a player who cannot stay healthy for a postseason run will never be ranked No. 1 in the world. Being available and carrying the load in May and June is the starting point for someone looking to be the best player in the world. It's the price of admission for the No. 1 label that Doncic hasn't been able to pay yet. Even in 2024 with the Dallas Mavericks, he was severely banged up during the NBA Finals.
2. Reach the Western Conference Finals with the Lakers
This'll be tough in a conference featuring the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs, one of whom LA would probably have to defeat in the first or second round to reach the WCF. But remember, I said the to-do list was simple ... not easy.
Best player in the world status isn't handed out to players who aren't contending, no matter how good their individual stats are. Another first-round or second-round exit would keep Luka outside of the discussion for best player on Earth even if he averaged 40 points per game next season.
On the other hand, taking this Lakers team to the Conference Finals (and exceeding expectations by doing so) would vault Luka into a new stratosphere, reputation-wise. It's amazing what winning can do for your legacy.
3. Establish a consistent/reliable floor as a defender on a nightly basis
Luka doesn't need to be a "two-way player" like Wembanyama or SGA to be seen as the best player in the world, given how unstoppable he is offensively.
But what Doncic does need to do is stop being a liability on defense. He just needs to hold his own on defensive possessions and do enough to not hurt the Lakers. He's 6-foot-7 (at least) with a high basketball IQ, and he's not a terrible athlete. This really shouldn't be an issue. Jokic was able to climb to best player in the world status, and he's no Bill Russell athletically.
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