Stephen A. Smith picks Luka Doncic as his early favorite for MVP race: "Luka Dončić is a bad somebody… He’s something special"
Since entering the league in 2018, Luka Doncic has quickly asserted himself as a premier talent. At 23-years-old, he has already ascended to the title of superstar.
Following the departure of Jalen Brunson in free agency, many expected the Mavericks star to up his production on the court. Through four games, he has lived up to those standards. Currently, the three-time All-Star is averaging 36.3 points, 9.5 rebounds and 9.5 assists.
Every year, the debate for MVP starts sooner and sooner. Doncic entered the year as the betting favorite to win the award, and is already jumping out as an early frontrunner.
During a recent episode of ESPN's "First Take," Stephen A. Smith and Kendrick Perkins gave their thoughts on how things are playing out thus far. It was there that Smith picked Doncic over Ja Morant because he is more of a global star:
"Luka Doncic is a bad somebody, as in great. He is something special."
Smith added:
"I think it's safe to say that when it comes to the people in Europe, they going to flood the voting for the MVP of the NBA for Luka more than Ja."
.@stephenasmith says Luka Dončić for MVP 🗣
"Luka Dončić is a bad somebody." https://t.co/zwixo6EmYj
Luka Doncic could continue latest NBA MVP trend
While fans don't cast votes for MVP, Stephen A. Smith brings up a valid point. Over the past decade, the NBA has become an ever-growing game. As fans continue to pour in from all over the globe, it has created a new trend with the MVP award.
Over the past four years, each MVP has been an international-born player. Giannis Antetokounmpo won the award back-to-back in 2019 and 2020, followed by Nikola Jokic the past two seasons. The last American-born player to take home the award was James Harden in 2018.
There are multiple reasons why Luka Doncic should be the frontrunner for MVP, and this recent trend should give him an edge. If he does take home the hardware, it will solidify that the NBA is truly a global game.
While it's still very early in the year, the Mavericks star is sure to remain in the MVP conversation. After Jokic won the past two seasons, voters are likely to move on to someone else this time around. As one of the game's brightest young talents, the All-Star point guard could truly cement himself among the NBA elite.
If he can manage to maintain his high-level of output, along with carrying the Mavs to a top seed, the NBA might once again crown an international talent for MVP.