NBA Champion Admits Mistake in Snubbing Lakers Star Luka Dončić from MVP Debate

Iman Shumpert apologizes for overlooking Dončić's dominant season in recent ESPN appearance.

Apr. 2, 2026 at 5:06am

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Former NBA champion Iman Shumpert acknowledged that he made a mistake in not discussing Lakers star Luka Dončić more prominently in the ongoing MVP debate. Despite Dončić's historic statistical season, he has surprisingly fallen in the latest MVP rankings, with Shumpert admitting he should have been advocating more for the Slovenian superstar.

Why it matters

The MVP race has been a contentious topic this season, with Dončić's elite offensive production seemingly at odds with the league's emphasis on two-way impact. Shumpert's comments highlight the ongoing debate around how to properly evaluate and weigh a player's overall value, especially when traditional counting stats may not tell the full story.

The details

In a recent 'Get Up' segment on ESPN, Shumpert acknowledged that he had not been discussing Dončić enough in the MVP conversation, despite the Lakers star's nightly dominance. Dončić is averaging a league-leading 33.8 points per game, but has fallen to fourth in the latest Kia MVP Ladder, with Victor Wembanyama, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Nikola Jokić ahead of him. Shumpert cited Dončić's lack of defensive reputation as a potential factor in the voting, even as the Lakers have struggled to compete without him.

  • In March, Dončić became the first player in NBA history to record over 500 points, 35 steals, and 50 three-pointers in a single month.
  • The latest Kia MVP Ladder has Dončić sitting fourth, despite his historic statistical output.

The players

Iman Shumpert

A former NBA champion who recently acknowledged on ESPN that he should have been discussing Lakers star Luka Dončić more prominently in the MVP debate.

Luka Dončić

The Lakers' star player who is averaging a league-leading 33.8 points per game this season, but has surprisingly fallen in the latest MVP rankings.

Victor Wembanyama

The current leader in the Kia MVP Ladder, averaging 24.5 points and 3.07 blocks per game.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

The Oklahoma City Thunder guard who is second in the MVP Ladder, averaging 31.6 points per game.

Nikola Jokić

The Denver Nuggets center who is third in the MVP Ladder, averaging 27.7 points, 12.95 rebounds, and 10.8 assists per game.

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What they’re saying

“It's actually starting to bother me that I haven't been talking about him more when we start talking about the MVP discussion, because when you think of the Lakers, there's no night that you feel like they can really come out here and compete if Luka is not suited up. So, my bad for that, Luka, 'cause you have been doing a great job. Especially in this month.”

— Iman Shumpert, Former NBA Champion

“Yeah, hopefully, but the better I play, the more I go down in ratings, so I don't know what more I can do.”

— Luka Dončić

What’s next

As the regular season winds down, it remains to be seen if Dončić can climb back up the MVP Ladder and claim the award for the first time in his career.

The takeaway

The ongoing debate around the MVP award highlights the complexities of evaluating a player's overall impact, especially when traditional counting stats may not tell the full story. Shumpert's admission underscores the need for a more holistic approach to assessing a player's value beyond just raw offensive production.