Luka Doncic is on a mission this season, and he's making sure everyone knows it. The Los Angeles Lakers' star is not just playing well; he's putting up numbers that demand attention in the MVP race. With the playoffs on the horizon, the buzz around Doncic is growing louder, and for good reason.
Jovan Buha, a well-known voice in Los Angeles sports circles, recently weighed in on Doncic's MVP prospects. Buha expressed surprise that some analysts rank Doncic a tier below players like Victor Wembanyama of the Spurs and Cade Cunningham of the Pistons. For Buha, this is a head-scratcher.
“Luka has to be in this conversation,” Buha emphasized. “He shouldn't be behind guys like Wemby, Jaylen Brown, Cade Cunningham, Jalen Brunson, or Donovan Mitchell. They're all great, but Luka should be leading the pack.”
Doncic's stats this season are nothing short of spectacular. He's leading the league with an average of 32.9 points per game, alongside 8.5 assists and 7.9 rebounds, while shooting an impressive 47.5% from the field. Buha acknowledges that while Doncic is a strong contender, he might still trail behind the Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Nuggets' Nikola Jokic in the MVP race.
“I think Shai is going to take it,” Buha stated. “Jokic has set a high bar with his numbers and efficiency that are hard to match. Luka might snag second, but he deserves to be in the thick of this conversation.”
Luka Doncic has been playing MVP-level basketball and should be more in the conversation pic.twitter.com/tVVEFn1O7h
— Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) March 13, 2026
As the Lakers sit third in the Western Conference with a 41-25 record, Doncic's influence is undeniable. Whether or not he clinches the MVP title, his performances are setting the stage for an exciting playoff run. Keep an eye on Doncic; he's not done making his case yet.