DALLAS — Dallas Mavericks superstar Kyrie Irving has predicted his teammate Luka Doncic to win the MVP award in the near future. Despite Nikola Jokic winning his third MVP award in four seasons, Irving believes Doncic is on his way to winning the coveted award “very soon.”
“Congratulations to Joker. He’s been having superb seasons,” Irving said of Jokic winning MVP. “He’s been leading this team at an unbelievable rate, and he’s been doing the little things in order to separate himself amongst us peers. He’s had a great run, but I think if it’s not this year, then Luka is on his way to win MVP some time in the future, very soon.”
This season, Doncic averaged 33.9 points, 9.8 assists, and 9.2 rebounds in 70 games, a testament to his incredible skill and work ethic. He made history by becoming the first player to average 33 points, nine rebounds, and nine assists per game, showcasing his dominance.
“If you look at his numbers across the board and you look at how he was carrying our team, that’s nothing short of an MVP,” Irving said. “He was coming off the World Cup. Playing a lot of basketball for the last year and a half. I just look at all those contributing factors where he showcased that he was the MVP of this league.”
Irving expressed his desire for players to have a say in the MVP award voting process, which currently involves media voting. He views having the players, who are “basketball savants,” would add the needed perspective to solidify the rightful outcome further.
“But, hey, it’s not up to him or us. It’s up to the voting system that they have,” Irving said. “Hopefully, that changes in the future where we can actually have a say as players. Because I think that matters that our voice is in there too. We’re basketball savants. We’ve been playing it since we were younger. It’s no disrespect to the media or anybody else that has voting, but we need to be included in that.”
Jokic’s win marks the third consecutive season that three players born outside the U.S. finished 1-2-3 in the MVP balloting. The Denver Nuggets star received 79 of 99 first-place votes, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Doncic finishing second and third, respectively.
As the NBA continues to evolve, it’s clear that international players are making a significant impact on the league. With Doncic and other talented players emerging, it’s likely that we’ll see more foreign-born players vying for the MVP award in the future. And if Irving’s prediction comes true, Doncic could be the next player to join the elite group of MVP winners.
The focus remains for Doncic and the Mavericks on advancing to the Western Conference Finals for the second time in his career. Entering Saturday’s Game 2 against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Dallas faces a 1-1 series tie with the next two games played at American Airlines Center.
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