Boban Marjanovic predicts the 2026 NBA MVP race will be between Luka Doncic and Nikola Jokic, praising Doncic's work ethic, talent, and dedication to both his national team and the Lakers.
Who knows better than nine-season NBA veteran Boban Marjanovic about Balkan NBA superstars Luka Doncic and Nikola Jokic? Marjanovic played with Doncic on the Dallas Mavericks and with his fellow Serbian Jokic on the national team.
Nikola Jokic
Nikola Jokic
Position: C
Age: 30
Height: 208 cm
Weight: 111 kg
Birth place: Sombor, Serbia
It's no surprise, then, that Marjanovic believes the 2026 NBA MVP race will come down to these two stars.
"It'll be between him [Luka Doncic] and [Nikola] Jokic. One of them will be the MVP," Marjanovic told Yahoo Sports.
Marjanovic was Luka's teammate in Dallas from 2019 to 2022, and he's not shocked to see Doncic now undergoing a major body transformation through a strict diet and a new conditioning program.
"Luka is the best," Marjanovic said. "He's a hard worker. He loves to work. He's always in the gym. He always works out. He always competes. He's doing what's best for himself, and he's really the best. All these moves that he's doing right now, he works on them. He's gifted; he can make any move that he wants."
Credit Guliverimage
"He's one of the best in the world and I'm not just saying that because he's my friend," Marjanovic continued. "He's really that. I know how much effort he puts in, this summer and throughout all the years we've known each other."
Could Luka's recent trade to the Los Angeles Lakers be making a difference?
"Maybe not, maybe yes. We don't know what could've happened," Marjanovic said. "I know his mental strength and how he works. He plays for his national team every summer, even if he's tired from a full NBA season. ... He's working to accomplish his goals with both his national team and the Lakers."
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