Things have not been easy for the Los Angeles Lakers lately. With the first round of the playoffs just around the corner, the Lakers are dealing with a tough injury situation as stars Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves are both out.
It’s hard to feel confident heading into the postseason when the two most important players are on the sidelines. But in the middle of all that uncertainty, some good news finally came through, and it directly involves Dončić.
Luka Dončić Showed His Gratitude to the NBPA
On Thursday, the NBA ruled in favor of Dončić and Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham on their ‘Extraordinary Circumstances Challenge’ to the NBA’s 65-game rule, making both eligible for all 2025–26 end-of-season honors, including MVP and All-NBA teams.
NBA rules require that players appear in at least 65 games to be eligible for awards like MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, Most Improved Player, All-NBA teams, and All-Defensive teams.
Both Dončić and Cunningham fell short of that number this season due to injuries and other circumstances beyond their control.
Dončić finished with 64 games played, just one short of the threshold. Part of the reason he fell short was that he missed two games in December to travel to Slovenia for the birth of his daughter. He also picked up a hamstring injury late in the season that ended his campaign early.
NBA statement on ruling for Luka Doncic, Cade Cunningham and Anthony Edwards on post season award eligibility: pic.twitter.com/OpVgX8fpwn
— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) April 16, 2026
Soon after the news broke, Dončić took to his X account to express his gratitude toward the NBPA for going to bat for him and getting the ruling overturned.
I am grateful to the NBPA for advocating on my behalf and to the NBA for their fair decision. It was so important to me to be present for the birth of my daughter in December and I appreciate Mark, Jeanie, Rob, JJ, and the entire Lakers organization for fully supporting me and…
— Luka Doncic (@lukadoncic) April 16, 2026
“I am grateful to the NBPA for advocating on my behalf and to the NBA for their fair decision,” Dončić wrote on X. “It was so important to me to be present for the birth of my daughter in December, and I appreciate Mark [Walter], Jeanie [Buss], Rob [Pelinka], JJ [Redick], and the entire Lakers organization for fully supporting me and allowing me to travel to be there.”
“This season has been so special to me because of what my teammates and I have been able to accomplish, and I am honored to have the opportunity to be considered for the league’s end-of-season awards.”
Now that the ruling has come in Dončić’s favor, it changes things in a real way. He was the leading scorer in the NBA this season, averaging 33.5 points per game. On top of that, he was sitting fourth in the league in assists, averaging 8.3 per game.
If that wasn’t enough, he scored over 600 points in March alone. That made him just the 10th player in NBA history to pull that off in a single month. That kind of form made a strong case for him being in the MVP conversation. The NBPA’s decision to step in and fight for his eligibility was the right call.
That said, not every challenge ended the same way. Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards also filed a challenge and had his case go to an independent arbitrator. But unlike Dončić and Cunningham, Edwards was denied. He remains ineligible for individual awards this season.
As for where Dončić stands in the MVP race, in the Week 24 rankings, he was placed fourth. Victor Wembanyama led the standings, followed by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in second and Nikola Jokić in third. Now, all eyes are on when Luka will return to the court.
