Luka Doncic is gearing up for his first full season with the Los Angeles Lakers, and a few assume it might finish with the NBA’s highest particular person honor.
Former NBA champion Kendrick Perkins didn’t maintain again on his MVP choose for 2025-26, talking on NBA In the present day.
“I stated it the opposite day, I’m saying it now,” Perkins stated. “He’s engaged, he felt disrespected, the Mavs gave up on him, they traded him. There was lots of offseason noise, criticism, lots of it got here from me, about how he couldn’t defend. Now rapidly we get an engaged, disrespected Luka who’s holding himself accountable.”
Doncic, has completed high 5 in MVP voting in 5 of the previous six seasons.
Final 12 months, he averaged 28.2 factors, 8.2 rebounds and seven.7 assists however solely performed 50 video games, falling wanting the edge wanted to qualify for MVP consideration.
Perkins has him ranked forward of names like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in his early poll.
“The Lakers have a reasonably weak supporting solid round he and LeBron,” Tim Bontemps added. “If the Lakers are within the 50-plus win vary, and Luka is enjoying like he did two years in the past, earlier than he had the accidents and every thing final 12 months, Luka’s going to have a shot (on the MVP award).”
David Dennis additionally weighed in on NBA In the present day, saying, “Luka must be on this checklist for the Lakers to be remotely aggressive. I’m with (Perkins) that we’d like an MVP-caliber Luka. I’m undecided he’s going to be MVP-caliber over SGA, however no less than SGA is on the checklist, although.”
Doncic has the third-highest profession scoring common in common season historical past, and now he’s eligible to signal a four-year, $229 million extension on August 2nd.
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