Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic has consistently stuffed the stat sheet ever since he stepped foot in the NBA and holds career averages of 28.6 points, 8.6 rebounds and 8.2 assists per game, yet he is still searching for his first MVP award at the highest level.
Former star guard Tim Hardaway believes that Doncic should have already won the award, however, and he’s also picked the Slovenian to capture the hardware in the coming 2025-26 season.
“You know what? A lot of people are gonna be surprised,” Hardaway told Action Network.
“He actually should have probably won it one time, but I’m gonna go with Luka Doncic.
“I think that if he has a really, really good year. If he has a good year like he normally has and they end up in the upper echelons,
“1-4 seed. Right around there. I think he has a really, really, really good chance of winning MVP.
“He should have won it probably about two years ago. But he didn’t win it.
“He’s that talented. But he still gotta do other stuff. Just because you lose weight, he’s still gonna be the same Luka.
“This is not overseas. This is the NBA. You’re still gonna have to keep your feet in front of people. They are still gonna go at you. Just ’cause you lost weight, they don’t believe that you could play defense now.
“You can move your feet now. You are as agile as you should be, and this and that. You’re still 6’8, you’re still kinda slow. You still move at your own pace.
“But I would put Luka down as MVP this year.”
When Hardaway said that Doncic should have won an MVP two years ago, he was likely referring to the 2023-24 season, which was his final full season playing for the Dallas Mavericks. Doncic led the league in points (33.9), made shots from the field (11.5) and shots attempted per game (23.6), and he finished with the third-most votes for the award behind only big man Nikola Jokic and guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
It’s well within the realm of possibility that Doncic finally adds an MVP award to his resume in the 2025-26 season, though plenty will also have to align for him and the Lakers. For one, Los Angeles will likely need to experience plenty of collective success in the regular season, and wins won’t come easily in a highly competitive Western Conference.
But the Lakers might just have the supporting cast around the likes of Doncic and forward LeBron James to take that next step forward compared to the season prior. Jaxson Hayes is no longer the team’s starting center, as Deandre Ayton is in the fold, and the former No. 1 overall pick has averaged a double-double for his NBA career.
In addition, Los Angeles added forward Jake LaRavia and guard Marcus Smart this offseason. The former gives the Lakers a solid 3-point shooter, while the latter was formerly named the Defensive Player of the Year.
Maybe Doncic is in the physical shape to put up the best individual numbers of his professional career to date as well. Much has been made about his efforts to work on his body this summer, and he’s heading into the new season as slim as he’s ever looked at the NBA level.