Luka Dončić is averaging a ridiculous 40.1 points per game through nine contests, and the NBA MVP race, which was already shaping up to be legendary, just got a fresh jolt of pure fire. This dude has never even finished second in MVP voting, with his best run being third place back in the 2022-23 season when he was still with the Mavericks. Now that LeBron James is out of L.A., Dončić is absolutely taking his game to new, mind-blowing heights.
Dončić’s Explosive Start and Wemby’s Two-Way Force
Last season, Dončić led the entire NBA in scoring with 33.5 points, along with 8.3 assists and 7.7 rebounds. This year, he’s somehow ramped it up even more, dropping 40.1 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 7.7 assists. He’s shooting 49.8% from the field and an incredible 41.9% from beyond the arc. We’re talking two 50-point games already, and six games over 40. That’s just wild.
Right there with him, making a massive case for himself, is Wemby. This guy got so close to an NBA title last year, making it all the way to the Finals before falling to the Knicks in five games. If he stays healthy, Wembanyama is probably gonna win Defensive Player of the Year for the second year in a row. Imagine, only three players in NBA history, Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Giannis Antetokounmpo, have ever won MVP and DPOY in the same season. Through 10 games, Wemby is putting up 29.1 points, 12 rebounds, and a league-leading 3.9 blocks. Yeah, a league-leading 3.9 blocks.
The Reigning MVP’s Consistency and Tatum’s Return
Then there’s the two-time reigning MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. This guy’s formula is simple: score a ton and win. In 2024-25, he averaged 32.7 points on 51.9% shooting, and the Thunder had the best record in the league. Last season, he kept it up with 31.1 points on 55.3% shooting, and the Thunder had the best record again. This season, he’s averaging 29.9 points, and the Thunder are 8-2, even while missing three starters. You gotta give him props for keeping that ship afloat, right?
Jayson Tatum, much like Dončić, now truly has his own franchise after the Celtics sent Jaylen Brown to the Sixers this offseason. It was a miracle he even played last season, getting into 16 regular-season games and six playoff games after tearing his Achilles during the 2024-25 NBA playoffs. But this year, he’s back like he never left, throwing down 27.1 points, six rebounds, and a career-high 7.8 assists. Boston is also sitting pretty at 8-2.
Jokić’s Steady Dominance
And you can never count out Nikola Jokić. He’s a three-time winner, which is insane enough, but what’s even more impressive is that over the last six years, he’s either won the MVP award or finished second. Last season, he became the first player in NBA history to lead the league in rebounds (12.9) and assists (10.7), and he averaged a triple-double for the second consecutive season. This year, he’s off to a bit of a slow start individually, at least by his incredibly high standards. So far, he’s averaging 22.9 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 9.1 assists. That’s still a near triple-double, folks!
This MVP race is already something else, a true heavyweight battle unfolding night after night. Who’s gonna keep this pace? Who’s gonna rise up? It’s just getting started, folks, and you know we’ll be glued to every single play.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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