2023 FIBA World Cup MVP Ladder: Luka Doncic and Karl-Anthony Towns frontrunners after round two
With each team having a couple FIBA World Cup games under their belt now, it's time to start building an MVP ladder. So far, there have already been multiple players to set themselves apart from their competitiors.
As expected, some of the standout players from the FIBA World Cup are NBA players. The most notable being Slovenia's Luka Doncic and Karl-Anthony Towns, who is suiting up for the Dominican Republic.
There is still a lot of action to go, but here are the names that belong in the MVP conversation for the World Cup.
FIBA World Cup MVP Ladder:
1) Luka Doncic
If the FIBA World Cup were to end right now, Luka Doncic would be the clear MVP. The Dallas Mavericks All-Star has been unstoppable through Slovenia's first two games of play.
In Slovenia's first matchup, Doncic went off to the tune of 37 points, seven rebounds and six assists. He followed that up with a near triple-double (34-10-6) that sent fans into a frenzy. Doncic's World Cup averages currently sit at 35.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and six assists.
2) Karl-Anthony Towns
Minnesota Timberwolves big man Karl-Anthony Towns is playing for the Dominican Republic for the first time in nearly a decade. Despite being away from international play for so long, he has been one of the top performers thus far.
Right now, Towns is averaging 25 points, 10 rebounds and 2.5 assists. He too almost notched a triple-double, erupting for 24 points, 11 rebounds and five assists in a win over Italy.
3) Rondae Hollis-Jefferson
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson is a former first-round pick who spent six years in the NBA. Now, he is leading the charge for Jordan in the FIBA World Cup.
Hollis-Jefferson is the second-leading scorer in the tournament behind Luka Doncic. Through two games, he is averaging 31.5 points, nine rebounds and 3.5 assists.
One of the top scoring performances of the World Cup has come from Hollis-Jefferson as he scored 39 points against New Zealand.
4) Carlik Jones
Carlik Jones spent this season with the Chicago Bulls, but is now playing for South Sudan in the World Cup. He too has put on a scoring spectacle through his team's first two games.
Along with being one of the top scorers, Jones is almost among tournament leaders in assists. The 6-foot-1 guard is currently averaging 28 points, four rebounds and 8.5 assists. Despite being on one of the lesser-known teams, Jones has proven to be one of the top overall performers.
5) Jordan Clarkson
Rounding out the MVP ladder is Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson. The Philippines are 0-2 right now, but he veteran guard has done everything he can to keep them competitive.
In his first game of the World Cup, Clarkson posted 28 points, seven rebounds and seven assists in a loss to the Dominican Republic. He followed that up by going for 21 points, three rebounds and seven assists against Angola.