The Big Lead

Kendrick Perkins backs Luka Doncic to win MVP next season, explains why

Kendrick Perkins is betting on Luka Doncic to win the MVP in the 2025-26 season, and he's got some solid reasons for it.

By Divij Kulkarni

Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic looks on before a game against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic looks on before a game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. / Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images
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Luka Doncic looks set to be the future of the Los Angeles Lakers moving forward. The Slovenian phenom has reportedly been working out with a vengeance this summer, and reports suggest that he is committed to staying in LA, at least for now.

For their part, the Lakers have acquired Deandre Ayton and Marcus Smart this offseason, and seem to be making strategic additions to maximize Doncic's output. Luka himself has been involved in the process of recruiting these players, and there is optimism about how well next season will go for him.

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"I'm betting on Luka Doncic to win the MVP next season," Perkins said on ESPN. "This is the type of commitment that I want to see from a great player like Luka.

"And all the greats in the history of greats have went through some type of adversity, or went through some type of thing throughout their career where they had to have accountability for it, and we're seeing that through Luka right now."

Big Perk also highlighted Doncic's commitment to improving his physical condition as well as his involvement with the Lakers as good signs. Doncic arguably should have won MVP in 2024, but the award went to Nikola Jokic instead.

Following his unceremonious exit from Dallas, it makes sense that Doncic is set to prove to anyone who ever doubted him spectacularly wrong. If he manages to win MVP with the Lakers and bring the city another NBA championship, all the negativity around him will be flipped on its head.

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