Luka Dončić, since arriving in Los Angeles, has looked like the last missing piece of the Lakers’ roster puzzle. With a smooth transition into the Lakers’ primary scoring option, Dončić is currently displaying a level of brilliance that has both professional scouts and casual fans rubbing their eyes in disbelief.
With the Lakers currently sitting as a top-three seed in the Western Conference with a 45-25 record, the conversation surrounding the league’s most prestigious individual award has shifted. It is no longer a question of if Dončić belongs in the MVP race, but rather why he wasn’t at the very top of the list all season long.
ESPN Analyst Stephen A. Smith Calls Luka Dončić a Top MVP Candidate
The MVP debate for Lakers’ superstar Dončić peaked on ESPN’s “First Take.” Known for bold takes, Stephen A. Smith said he was late in recognizing the Lakers’ new cornerstone.
“This dude is electrifying. He is a scoring sensation, He is a superstar in this league,” Smith declared. “And I’m ashamed I haven’t brought up Luka for league MVP considerations sooner than this morning. That ends now. That gets corrected right now.”
Stephen A Smith on Luka MVP chances:
“I’m ashamed I haven’t brought up Luka for league MVP considerations sooner than this morning. That ends now. That gets corrected…. Luka Doncic in a Lakers uniform is a top candidate for league MVP”
(Via @FirstTake) pic.twitter.com/kIXAWXTjKh
— NBA Courtside (@NBA__Courtside) March 20, 2026
Smith pointed out that while LeBron James deserves praise, it is Dončić, whom Dallas traded away, doing the heavy lifting in L.A.
“I gave praise to LeBron James yesterday cause’ he deserved it and we are not going to be shy about that. But who deserves it more than Luka right now? He’s leading the league in scoring…Luka Doncic, the individual that the Dallas Mavericks traded away for Anthony Davis, in a Lakers uniform, is a top candidate for league MVP. I’m announcing it right here,” Smith added.
Dončić’s Historic 2026 Stats
Smith’s claims are backed by some historical stats that Dončić is dropping this season. He is currently the NBA’s leading scorer, both in average points (33.4) and total (1,940), and has the third-best APG (8.4).
When it comes to shooting, Dončić isn’t just a volume shooter who recklessly fires away, hoping it will go in. In the Lakers’ 8-0 winning streak, Dončić has shot 50.2% from the field and 42.2% from beyond the arc. This season, he has been shooting 47.7% from the field and 37.0% from deep.
The latest highlight to Dončić’s resume is a 60-point game against the Miami Heat on Thursday, where he also set the Lakers’ single-season record for threes with 9-of-17, totaling 232 this year and surpassing D’Angelo Russell’s 226.
Dončić has evolved from a generational talent to the main engine of a title contender, establishing himself as the game’s most unstoppable force.
