Redick: Lakers' Doncic Should Beat Wembanyama, Jokic for MVP

Lakers coach J.J. Redick believes Luka Doncic's dominant season should earn him NBA MVP honors.

Mar. 31, 2026 at 12:34pm

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A fractured, multi-perspective painting in the style of Pablo Picasso, breaking down a basketball game into sharp, overlapping geometric planes of vibrant colors like royal blue, fiery orange, and metallic silver.A cubist interpretation of the NBA MVP race, with the league's top stars reduced to geometric shapes and planes of color.Oklahoma City Today

Los Angeles Lakers coach J.J. Redick believes that Luka Doncic should win the NBA MVP award this season if the Lakers continue their recent hot streak. Doncic is leading the league in several statistical categories, including points per game, and has been the driving force behind the Lakers' surge up the Western Conference standings.

Why it matters

The NBA MVP race is shaping up to be one of the most competitive in recent memory, with several star players putting up impressive numbers for their teams. Doncic's case for the award is bolstered by the Lakers' recent success, which has seen them climb to third place in the West after a slow start to the season.

The details

Doncic is averaging a career-high 33.7 points per game, along with 8.2 assists, 7.8 rebounds, and 1.6 steals. He leads the league in several statistical categories, including field goals, 3-pointers made, and free throw attempts. The Lakers have won 15 of their last 17 games, surging up the standings and putting themselves in position to potentially challenge for the top seed in the West.

  • Doncic has averaged 40.7 points per game over his last nine appearances, including a 60-point effort in a March 19 win over the Miami Heat.
  • The Lakers were 34-24 and in sixth place in the Western Conference on Feb. 26, but have since won 15 of their next 17 games to improve to 49-26 and move up to third place in the standings.

The players

Luka Doncic

A six-time NBA All-Star who is leading the league in several statistical categories, including points per game, and has been the driving force behind the Lakers' recent surge up the Western Conference standings.

Victor Wembanyama

The San Antonio Spurs center who is averaging a career-best 24.5 points and 11.4 rebounds per game, with 3.1 blocks per game, and has his team in second place in the Western Conference.

Nikola Jokic

The Denver Nuggets center who is averaging a double-double with 27.9 points and 12.9 rebounds per game, while also leading the league in assists per game at 10.8.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

The reigning NBA MVP who is averaging a career-high 31.6 points per game for the league-leading Oklahoma City Thunder.

J.J. Redick

The head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers who believes Luka Doncic should win the NBA MVP award this season.

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What they’re saying

“He's the engine that's driving all of our winning. Certainly, we have a ton of guys starring in their roles, but he's the driver.”

— J.J. Redick, Lakers Head Coach

“If we continue to finish the season the way we're playing right now, and he continues to play that way, to me, he is the MVP.”

— J.J. Redick, Lakers Head Coach

What’s next

The Lakers will host the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday night before traveling to Oklahoma City to face the Thunder on Thursday.

The takeaway

The NBA MVP race is shaping up to be one of the most competitive in recent memory, with several star players making strong cases for the award. Luka Doncic's dominant performance and the Lakers' recent surge have made him the frontrunner in the eyes of his head coach, J.J. Redick, but he'll face stiff competition from the likes of Victor Wembanyama, Nikola Jokic, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.