There might be a new NBA MVP favorite brewing thanks to the recent hot streak that’s being put together by the Los Angeles Lakers guard, Luka Doncic.
For months, most prominent members of the media debated Oklahoma City Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Denver Nuggets‘ Nikola Jokic as the favorites.
A back-to-back masterclass by Doncic changed the race.
Gilgeous-Alexander might still be the favorite in late March, but Doncic’s recent stretch is pushing Jokic back. And ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith is taking a leap with his comments on the race on Friday, March 20.
Luka Doncic Makes Stephen A. Smith Feel ‘Ashamed’
GettyStephen A. Smith recently admitted he was wrong about not having Luka Doncic in MVP talks.
âI think this dude is electrifying, heâs a scoring sensation, heâs a superstar in this league,” Smith said on ESPN this week.
The sports personality claimed that âa couple of people” within the Lakers organization asked him about what he thinks about Luka on the MVP front. It made the ESPN personality feel a certain way.
âIâm ashamed that I havenât brought up Luka for league MVP sooner than this morning. That ends now. That gets corrected right now. Luka Doncic has been sensational. The Los Angeles Lakers have been incredibly impressive on an eight-game winning streak. ⦠The brother is just doing his thing.â
Smith’s comments come after the Lakers won their eighth game in a row, with the last three coming on the road. In Houston, Texas, Doncic started a two-game series against the Houston Rockets with a 36-point outing.
Doncic followed that game with 40 points (48.0% FG), 10 assists, and nine rebounds.
Then came the Miami, Florida matchup. Doncic capped off the back-to-back with a 37-minute showing against the Heat. He shot 18-30 from the field to score 60 points. Doncic also added three assists, seven rebounds, and five steals amid the Lakers’ 134-126 win over the Heat.
Is Luka Doncic Getting Real MVP Love?
GettyLuka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers warms up prior to the game against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center on March 16, 2026 in Houston, Texas.
At this point, Doncic is moving past Jokic in the race.
The Lakers have been more successful than the Nuggets through March 19. LA has a 45-25 record on the year, which places them third in the Western Conference.
Jokic and the Nuggets are in a tight race to stay within the top six. They have a three-game lead over the seventh-seeded Phoenix Suns, but the Nuggets are neck-and-neck with the Rockets and the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Then, there’s the personal performance.
Doncic has appeared in 58 games this season. He has knocked down 47.7% of his shots from the field and 37.0% of his shots from beyond the arc. The All-Star is leading the league in points per game, producing 33.4 on a nightly basis.
Of course, Doncic is a consistent triple-double threat as well. The Lakers’ star is producing 7.9 rebounds per game, along with 8.4 assists per game.
Gilgeous-Alexander remains the favorite for the time being, but Doncic should not be ruled out by any means. This race just might come down to the wire.
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