1stWhistle is reader-supported. This article contains affiliate links; we may earn a commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
Draymond Green’s dismissal of Luka Doncic’s MVP chances just handed the Lakers guard a gift wrapped in motivation
The arc of Luka Doncic’s MVP drought is the clearest evidence that individual brilliance alone does not win the award. Eight seasons in, Doncic carries six All-NBA First Team selections and a Finals appearance on his résumé—résumés that would have already claimed MVP hardware for most players. Yet the award has eluded him. Recently, Green suggested Doncic will never win it, pointing to scoring fatigue: the league and its voters have grown so accustomed to his production that the numbers no longer move the needle. It’s a stinging critique. It’s also exactly wrong—because the circumstances surrounding Doncic and the Lakers this season have shifted in his favor in a way Green appears to have missed.
The seeding problem that finally may not be a problem
The historical reason Doncic hasn’t won MVP is structural: his teams have underperformed in the regular season. The Mavericks peaked at fourth in the West; before joining the Lakers, his clubs never seized a conference title. Voters reward excellence within a context of team success, and Doncic’s individual dominance has consistently been tethered to mid-tier finishes. The Lakers’ last two seasons ended in third place in the West—respectable, but not MVP-winning territory.
This year is different. The San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder are projected to finish atop the West, leaving the Lakers positioned as underdogs with upside. That matters immensely. If the Lakers exceed expectations and secure a strong seed—a genuine possibility given their revamped roster and the underestimation now surrounding them—Doncic’s individual numbers gain contextual weight they’ve lacked before. MVP voters don’t penalize excellence when a team overperforms. They reward it.
Underdog status is a feature, not a bug
The prevailing skepticism about the Lakers’ chances this season removes the burden of expectation that often works against star players. Doncic enters the year without the weight of being anointed a favorite; the Spurs and Thunder occupy that real estate. The lack of hype surrounding Los Angeles actually creates runway for a narrative arc—the overlooked squad that clicks, the star player who carried them there despite the doubts. That story sells MVP awards.
For Doncic specifically, this is the first time in his prime that his team arrives as an underdog worth rooting for rather than a favorite that fell short. The psychological and narrative advantage of that positioning should not be underestimated. If he stays healthy and the Lakers maintain their early momentum, voters will have a fresh lens through which to evaluate his candidacy.
Green’s real mistake: underestimating the underdog angle
Green’s argument about scoring fatigue contains a kernel of truth—repetition can dull perception. But he missed the offsetting factor: **context**. An MVP candidate carrying a team seeded higher than experts projected, posting identical stats to previous seasons, will be perceived differently. The narrative changes. The evaluation changes.
Doncic has never had that working in his favor. Now he does. If the Lakers finish with an impressive record despite the preseason doubts, Green will have accidentally provided the exact motivation Doncic needed to finally clear the MVP hurdle he’s faced for eight seasons.
Sign up for the Daily Sports Digest to get the latest NBA analysis delivered straight to your inbox—always free.
For the faithful: Shop Luka Doncic jerseys on Fanatics.