Doncic a victim of his own talent: “He’ll never win an MVP”
Could Luka Doncic really go his entire career without winning an MVP? Draymond Green thinks so, and he has a rather unusual theory to explain why
Prediction or provocation? Hard to say, but Draymond Green has a pretty clear view of Luka Doncic’s future: if the Slovenian star wants to win his first NBA MVP award, this could be his last chance.
On his podcast, the Golden State Warriors veteran explained why he believes Doncic risks becoming a victim of his own talent. When a player gets us accustomed to extraordinary numbers, even the most incredible performances eventually stop making headlines.
Luka will never win an MVP in the NBA. This is the last year he can do it. Even if he averaged 34 points, people would say, “Of course, it’s Luka… we know he can do that”
Draymond Green
According to Green, the same applies to Jayson Tatum. The problem isn’t so much the level of their performances, but that after years of dominance, certain numbers are almost taken for granted.
The same goes for Tatum. He could finish a season averaging 30 points, and nobody would be surprised
Draymond Green
To explain his point further, Draymond also brought up LeBron James.
People eventually get used to it and stop valuing certain performances the same way. The same thing happened with LeBron James. You can’t tell me he should have won only four MVPs
Draymond Green
Green’s reasoning, though, isn’t entirely convincing. Just look at Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s two consecutive MVPs or Nikola Jokic’s three awards to see that maintaining an elite level over multiple seasons doesn’t necessarily take a player out of the running.
In Doncic’s case, there are other factors to consider, too. The Slovenian star has played more than 70 games only twice in his career, and in his first six full seasons in Dallas, the Mavericks finished in the Western Conference’s top four just once.
Individual numbers certainly matter a great deal, but consistency and team success can also make the difference in the MVP race.
For Green, the risk is that Luka’s great performances no longer surprise anyone. It will be up to the Slovenian star and his Los Angeles Lakers to try to change his mind.