A lot of eyes will be on Luka Doncic heading into the 2025/26 season, with his body transformation being one of the most talked-about stories of the summer. It will be his first full campaign with the Los Angeles Lakers, who, with Doncic as their centerpiece, are aiming for the ultimate prize. What remains to be seen is whether he’s ready to be the protagonist and perhaps the best player in the league.
Doncic isn’t new to dealing with high expectations. He was the main guy during his time in Dallas, and even carried them to a Finals appearance in 2024, where they were only stopped by a seemingly unstoppable Boston Celtics team. But the Lakers are something different.
The 17-time NBA champions are looking to move on from LeBron James as their number one option, and for a franchise as storied as theirs, there isn’t much room for a transition period. That means Doncic will be expected to carry the Lakers’ title aspirations on his back from the very get-go, and, according to Tim Hardaway, make a run at MVP while doing it.
Hardaway Sr., as a matter of fact, is backing Doncic as his 2025/26 MVP. The five-time All-Star was recently asked for his pick during an interview with Action Network. Not only did he choose Doncic, but he also argued that there should already be an MVP award in his trophy case.
“He actually should have probably won it one time, but I’m gonna go with Luka Doncic,” said Hardaway. “I think that if he has a really, really good year. If he has a good year like he normally has and they end up in the upper echelons, 1-4 seed. Right around there. I think he has a really, really, really good chance of winning MVP.”
Team success is the key. Doncic’s stats have always been there, but MVP voters favor winning records. Dallas hasn’t always provided that cushion, which is why, despite nearly averaging a triple-double a couple of seasons ago, the MVP title remained out of reach. Hardaway, however, is confident this year will be different.
“He should have won it probably about two years ago. But he didn’t win it,” the five-time All-Star added.
There’s no doubt that Doncic is a generational talent. Just look at his performances in EuroBasket up until Slovenia’s elimination in the quarterfinals last night. In seven games, he averaged 35 points, 8 assists, and 7 rebounds, carrying his nation single-handedly into the last eight. That said, Hardaway believes the NBA game is a different challenge.
The former Golden State Warrior feels Doncic still has to silence critics who aren’t fully convinced, and that his physical transformation will mean nothing if he doesn’t deliver some crucial wins for the Lakers.
“This is not overseas. This is the NBA,” Hardaway said. “You’re still gonna have to keep your feet in front of people. They are still gonna go at you. Just ‘cause you lost weight, they don’t believe that you could play defense now.”
That’s where the challenge lies. Everyone knows Doncic’s offensive game is ridiculously good, with his vision, his step back, and his control of the game. But the defensive end? That’s where some doubt lingers. “He’s that talented. But he still gotta do other stuff. Just because you lose weight, he’s still gonna be the same Luka,” added the Hall of Famer.
At the same time, Hardaway isn’t trying to downplay Doncic’s chances. He believes The Don has the tools to make the jump. He just needs to show he can handle both sides of the ball and lead his squad to wins.
So while the MVP race will once again be loaded with names like Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Tim Sr. is standing firm. If Doncic can push Los Angeles into the top four, he thinks the trophy will come home to the league’s next potential face.