Luka Doncic Snubbed as MVP Finalist? NBA Fans React as Lakers Star Not Top 3 Despite Exemption

With only three finalists for the NBA MVP award, it was anything but a surprise that Luka Dončić was not included in Sunday's announcement.

But that didn't stop fans from reacting to the Los Angeles Lakers star not being on the list of finalists alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder), Nikola Jokić (Denver Nuggets) and Victor Wembanyama (San Antonio Spurs).

Here is a look at some of the reaction:

Dončić's eligibility for the MVP, All-NBA consideration and other awards was recently under the spotlight since he appeared in 64 games and failed to reach the 65-game threshold.

However, the NBA and National Basketball Players Association announced Thursday that he was eligible due to the "extraordinary circumstances provision in the CBA" because he missed two games for the birth of his daughter in Slovenia.

That ruling drew a reaction from the Lakers star:

While he won't be the MVP, the successful appeal means he will be eligible for the All-NBA First Team. That will bolster his already excellent resume and serve as recognition for what was an incredible 2025-26 campaign.

Dončić led the NBA at 33.5 points per game while also averaging 8.3 assists, 7.7 rebounds and 1.6 steals and shooting 47.6 percent from the field and 36.6 percent from deep. He was a major reason the Lakers finished with the fourth-best record in the Western Conference.

In a typical season, that type of production likely would have been enough to be named an MVP finalist. However, Gilgeous-Alexander, Jokić and Wembanyama were all unbelievable in their own right and led their teams to the top three seeds in that Western Conference race.

If Gilgeous-Alexander takes home the award, it will mark his second straight MVP and throw him even further under the NBA spotlight after he led the Thunder to the title last season.

And it will also give Dončić and Co. someone to beat in next season's MVP race.