The NBA announced on Apr. 16 that Los Angeles Lakers player Luka Doncic is eligible for all annual awards for the 2025-26 regular season.
Doncic had suffered a Grade 2 left hamstring strain with five games remaining in the season, raising questions about his eligibility for end-of-season honors due to not reaching the league’s standard 65-game threshold. He appealed this decision under the Extraordinary Circumstances clause, arguing that he should not be penalized for missing two games in December because of the birth of his child. Both the NBA and National Basketball Players Association agreed with his case, making him eligible according to the collective bargaining agreement.
This decision allows Doncic to be considered for major awards such as Most Valuable Player and All-NBA teams. While he made a late push for MVP, candidates like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Victor Wembanyama, or Nikola Jokic are seen as frontrunners. However, it is likely that Doncic will secure a place on his sixth All-NBA First Team at age 27.
Cade Cunningham of the Detroit Pistons was also granted eligibility after an appeal similar to Doncic’s. Both players are expected to join Gilgeous-Alexander, Wembanyama and Jokic on this year’s All-NBA First Team. Anthony Edwards of the Minnesota Timberwolves also appealed but was denied by league officials.
Doncic led all players in scoring during his first full season with the Lakers by averaging 33.5 points per game—outpacing Gilgeous-Alexander—and securing another scoring title. This marks five consecutive seasons where an international player has led the NBA in points per game: Joel Embiid (2021-22 and 2022-23), Doncic (2023-24 and now), and Gilgeous-Alexander last year. Giannis Antetokounmpo has finished among the top three scorers four times during this span while Nikola Jokic has also been a top-three scorer.
Before this recent streak, no international player had ever won an NBA scoring title.
