Luka Dončić is absolutely on fire, tearing through the first two weeks of the NBA season and rocketing himself past two-time reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on the bet365 Sportsbook MVP oddsboard as of November 2. This dude is not messing around, dropping numbers that have the entire league buzzing about who can even keep up. After just a couple of weeks, we are already seeing some wild shifts in what everyone thought was going to be the MVP race.
Wemby’s Dominance and Defensive Dynasty on Deck
Right now, Wemby is sitting at the top as the MVP favorite, and honestly, you can see why. He came so close to an NBA title last year, pushing it all the way to the Finals before the Knicks took them down in five games. Assuming he stays healthy, this guy is a lock to win Defensive Player of the Year for the second year in a row. Think about that: only Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Giannis Antetokounmpo have ever snagged both MVP and DPOY in the same season. Wemby’s early stats are just ridiculous, averaging 28 points per game, good for sixth in the NBA, and grabbing 10.7 rebounds per game, which is fifth best. But the real mind-blower? He leads the entire league with a jaw-dropping 4.2 blocks per game, a full 1.3 more than any other player out there. That kind of two-way impact is just insane.
Dončić’s Historic Ascent and Lakers Takeover
But hold up, because Luka Dončić is making everyone forget about almost everything else. Get this: the man has never even finished second in MVP voting, with his best finish being third way back in the 2022-23 season when he was still with the Mavericks. Last season, he LED the NBA in scoring with 33.5 points per game, plus he was dishing out 8.3 assists and pulling down 7.7 rebounds. Now that LeBron James is out of L.A. and that Lakers franchise officially belongs to Dončić, he’s absolutely taken off. His start to the season is nothing short of historic. He leads the NBA with a ridiculous 37.7 points per game, which is nearly eight more than anyone else right now. He’s already gone over 40 points in three of his first six games, and he’s coming off a monstrous 45-point outing where he also snagged 15 rebounds, dropped six assists, and swiped five steals in the Lakers’ big win over the Raptors. You just don’t see this kind of sustained explosion this early.
SGA and Jokić: Former MVPs Facing an Uphill Climb
Meanwhile, our two-time reigning MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, definitely started the season in the running, with a proven formula: score a ton of points and win games. The Thunder had the best record in the league in 2024-25 when he averaged 32.7 points on 51.9% shooting, and they did it again last season with his 31.1 points on 55.3% shooting. But Dončić’s absolutely wild start has knocked SGA down to third on the MVP oddsboard. Shai’s scoring is down from last season to 26 points per game, he’s shooting 46.5% from the field, and he’s only topped 30 points once this season. The pressure is on for him to find that MVP gear again.
And then there’s Nikola Jokić, a three-time winner who’s been ridiculously consistent, either winning the award or finishing second in six straight seasons. Last season, he made NBA history as the first player ever to lead the league in rebounds with 12.9 AND assists with 10.7, plus he averaged a triple-double for the second year in a row. But even though it’s a regular-season award, the Nuggets stumbled in the playoffs, finishing third in the West and losing in the first round to a hobbled Wolves team. Did that mess with his MVP chances? This season, he’s still putting up serious numbers, averaging more than 21 points, nine rebounds, and nine assists per game, already recording a triple-double.
This MVP race is going to be wild, folks. We’re only a couple of weeks in, but the bar has already been set incredibly high by Dončić’s insane start, with Wemby right there showing why he’s favored, and both SGA and Jokić looking to remind everyone why they’ve owned this award before. Every game, every stat, every win is going to matter big time. Buckle up, because this is just getting started.
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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