Kia MVP Ladder: Luka Dončić, Victor Wembanyama lead debut Top 10 ranking - NBA.com
By Google News Sports ·
Welcome to the weekly listing of outstanding players, better known as the Kia MVP Ladder, where the first installment mainly reflects a collection of notables who have been there and done that in this league. Along with a few surprises. It’s e-a-r-l-y, yet the positioning has begun for the league’s most desired individual award. Stats matter, obviously — being among the leaders in scoring or rebounds or assists or blocks will get you considered. And those who rank in multiple categories will get heavy consideration. Yet winning matters, too, especially later in the season. Winning is what gives a player's season substance and meaning. That said, salute to Luka Dončić for taking pole position, no small feat when the player right behind him is also chasing his first MVP and currently owns the season's best performance. Victor Wembanyama has the runner-up edge over back-to-back winner Shai Gilgeous-Alexander — for now. Here's the debut edition of the Kia MVP Ladder for the 2026-27 season. 1. Luka Dončić, Los Angeles Lakers Season stats: 38.5 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 8.0 APG Dončić is on a tear, but what else is new for a two-time scoring champ and six-time member of the All-NBA First Team? He’s the first player in history to record six straight games of 35-plus points, five-plus rebounds, five-plus assists and five-plus 3-pointers. He has scored at least 40 in five of his last six games and at least 20 first-half points in six straight games. He had 52 against Utah. That led to Giannis Antetokounmpo calling Dončić one of the greatest scorers of all time, high praise indeed. Dončić seems committed to being a better all-around player, a lofty bar to clear for sure. His defense seems to be on the up-and-up and his passing remains sharp. Dončić is once again among the assist leaders. As…
Originally published by Google News Sports
