2023 FIBA World Cup MVP Ladder: Luka Doncic maintains top spot while Josh Giddey enters race after round three
With the group stage for the FIBA World Cup coming to a close, it's time to give a fresh outlook on the MVP race. Some familiar faces remain in the mix, while others have worked their way on following a string of strong performances.
As the FIBA World Cup rages on, Luka Doncic and Karl-Anthony Towns remain two of the top performers. The pair of NBA All-Stars have led their respective teams to 3-0 records in the opening round.
Another NBA star who has led his team to a perfect record thus far is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The OKC Thunder guard continues to impress as Canada proves to be one of the top teams in the tournament.
Here is a full breakdown of the World Cup MVP ladder through the conclusion of group play.
FIBA World Cup MVP Ladder following group stage:
1) Luka Doncic
Remaining in the top spot is Dallas Mavericks All-Star Luka Doncic. Through Slovenia's first three games, he remains the top overall performer in the FIBA World Cup.
Doncic put up 30+ points in his first two games, followed by a 19-point, nine-assist outing in a win over Cape Verde. Currently, his averages in the tournament sit at 30.0 points, 8.0 rebounds and 7.0 assists.
2) Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
After not making the first MVP ladder, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finds himself in the No. 2 spot. Following a 27-point barrage in a win over Latvia, he is now among the top five scorers in the World Cup.
SGA started off the World Cup in a big way. He erupted for 27 points, 13 rebounds and six assists in an upset win over France. The All-Star guard followed that up with a quiet outing against Lebanon. With another strong showing in Canada's third game, his averages now sit at 22 points, eight rebounds and 5.7 assists.
3) Karl-Anthony Towns
Even with a quiet performance in his most recent outing, Karl-Anthony Towns is still one of the top players in the FIBA World Cup. Without him, the Dominican Republic would not have a 3-0 record through the group stage.
Through three games, Towns' averages sit at 19.3 points, 7.7 rebounds and two assists. In limited minutes against Angola in his last outing, he posted a stat line of eight points, two rebounds and one assist.
4) Nikola Vucevic
Among the NBA All-Stars who are leading the charge for their team is Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic. Montenegro went 2-1 in the group stage and has advanced to the next round.
Vucevic kicked off the FIBA World Cup by posting a double-double (27 points, 10 rebounds) against Mexico. He most recently posted 19 points, four rebounds and two assists in a blowout loss to Lithuania. Through the group stage, Vucevic is posting averages of 20.7 points, seven rebounds and 1.3 assists.
5) Josh Giddey
Rounding out the latest MVP ladder is another OKC Thunder guard, Josh Giddey. He has helped lead Australia to a 2-1 record thus far.
Giddey nearly posted a triple-double in his opening game vs. Finland, but his most recent outing is his best of the World Cup. In 31 minutes against Japan, he went for 26 points, five rebounds and 11 assists.