Stephen A Smith ‘ashamed’ he overlooked Lakers’ Luka Doncic in MVP race

ESPN’s Stephen A Smith offered Los Angeles Lakers All-Star Luka Doncic a mi culpa after not mentioning the veteran guard as one of the few NBA players eligible to win this year’s MVP award. The Lakers extended their winning streak to eight in a 134-126 win against the Miami Heat. Doncic scored a season-high 60 points on Thursday, which may have been the deciding factor for the veteran journalist’s list of this year’s most valuable players.

Still, Smith was embarrassed to admit he didn’t have Doncic among his favorites to win MVP, but that changed, following Luka’s 60-point game, he said, per ESPN’s First Take.

“I’m ashamed that I hadn’t brought up Luka for MVP consideration sooner than this morning. That ends now,” Smith said. “That gets corrected right now. Luka Doncic has been sensational. The Los Angeles Lakers have been incredibly impressive on an eight-game winning streak. He’s scored over 30 in each one of those games. He’s scored 100 over the last two games.”

Given Doncic’s recent offensive production, combining for 100 points in his previous two outings, he’s strengthening his case for MVP in the final hour of the regular season, which Stephen A Smith pointed to.

“Who deserves it more than Luka right now with what Luka is doing? He’s leading the league in scoring. Smith added. The Los Angeles Lakers are winning as a top 3 seed in the Western Conference,” Smith said. They’re winning basketball games. He’s leading the way, and he has an individual in LeBron James, who is on the Mount Rushmore of basketball—still playing like an All-Star caliber player.

“And he has to be differential because Luka is that great — he’s that unstoppable. At some point in time, you just have to announce it, and right now, we have to announce right here on First Take that Luka Doncic — the individual that the Dallas Mavericks traded away for Anthony Davis, another player, Christie, and a pick. That same Luka Doncic in a Los Angeles Lakers uniform is a top candidate for league MVP honors,” Smith concluded.

The Lakers have won 12 of their last 13 games.

Draymond Green’s take on Luka Doncic, LeBron James pairing

Warriors veteran Draymond Green weighed in on Luka Doncic, LeBron James, and the Lakers’ chances of winning a championship this season. Given the Lakers’ recent surge that has driven them to the third-best record (45-25) in the Western Conference, momentum is undoubtedly on their side ahead of the playoffs.

For Green, the Lakers, led by Doncic and James, are in good hands, he said, per The Draymond Green Show.

“Luka has been playing absolutely incredible. Ironically, the Lakers have been playing absolutely incredible. Ironically, DeAndre Ayton’s been playing better; ironically, Marcus Smart’s been playing better. Because that is the magic of Luka Doncic. Luka at the top of his game makes everyone around him better. So, you ask yourself, how dangerous can they be in the playoffs?

“And a part of me wants to say not very dangerous at all, but the other side of me knows better. You got Luka Doncic and LeBron James on the court at the same time. You have a chance always against anyone.”

Draymond Green on the Lakers chances to be real contenders:

“You ask yourself how dangerous can they be during the playoffs, apart of me wants to say not very dangerous at all but the other side of me knows better. You got Luka Doncic and LeBron James on the court at the same… pic.twitter.com/kYEsPPMj43

— NBA Courtside (@NBA__Courtside) March 20, 2026

Amidst a competitive Western Conference, led by the defending champion Thunder, the Lakers are slowly creeping into the picture of championship contenders.

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