Luka Doncic’s opening run with the Los Angeles Lakers has turned him into the early front-runner for the NBA’s most valuable individual prize.
The prediction market at Polymarket reflected that shift Tuesday, when Doncic passed San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama in the MVP race and climbed to an implied probability of about 32%. Wembanyama sat right behind him at 30%, with Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander also in the mix. By Wednesday morning, Doncic had edged even higher, reaching roughly 35%.
That surge is coming on the back of a scorching start to the 2026-27 season. Through seven games, Doncic is putting up a league-best 38.3 points, along with eight rebounds and 8.1 assists per game.
He kept the run rolling Monday night against the Miami Heat, piling up 42 points, 13 assists and seven rebounds in the Lakers’ 138-117 win. That followed a 45-point, 15-rebound night against the Toronto Raptors just one game earlier.
The scoring binge has been relentless. Doncic has now gone five straight games with at least 37 points, and four of those outings have topped 40.
His production has also helped the Lakers get out to a strong start. Los Angeles moved to 6-2 after beating Miami, putting itself in the early conversation in the Western Conference.
For all the individual brilliance, one thing still hangs over Doncic’s resume: he has never won the league’s top regular-season honor. This year’s field is loaded, with Wembanyama, Gilgeous-Alexander and three-time MVP Nikola Jokic all part of the chase.
The numbers on Polymarket can change quickly and don’t decide the award, but Doncic’s rise tracks with what’s happening on the floor. He’s been one of the league’s most explosive players to open the season, and the Lakers are winning behind it.
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Lakers Face One Big Rotation Question With First Place At Stake
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Portland comes in shorthanded as well, missing Ja Morant, Shaedon Sharpe, John Tonje and Vit Krejci, so the injury report is shaping the night as much as the matchup itself. For the Lakers, the bigger swing may come from the frontcourt picture, where one key big man is available after dealing with a recent hand issue, while another remains in question as the team waits to see how the final pregame decisions shake out. [Read more 🡒]