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By Bryan Colbert Jr.
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Los Angeles Lakers superstar Luka Doncic has spent years establishing himself as one of basketball's most talented players.
Now, his remarkable start to the 2026-27 season has made him the early favorite to capture his first NBA Most Valuable Player award.
According to Polymarket, Doncic moved ahead of San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama in the NBA MVP prediction market Tuesday, with his implied probability climbing to approximately 32%.
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Wembanyama followed closely at 30%, while Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander remained among the other contenders.
By Wednesday morning, Doncic's number had risen to approximately 35%, further strengthening his position atop the market.
The shift comes after an extraordinary stretch of performances from the Lakers guard, who has taken his scoring to another level.
Doncic is averaging a league-leading 38.3 points, eight rebounds and 8.1 assists through his first seven games of the season.
His latest performance came Monday night against the Miami Heat, when he recorded 42 points, 13 assists and seven rebounds in Los Angeles' 138-117 victory.
The dominant outing followed a 45-point, 15-rebound performance against the Toronto Raptors one night earlier.
Doncic has now scored at least 37 points in five consecutive games, including four performances of 40 or more points during that stretch.
More importantly, his individual success has helped Los Angeles establish early momentum.
The Lakers improved to 6-2 following their victory over Miami, positioning themselves among the Western Conference's early contenders.
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Despite consistently ranking among the NBA's elite players, Doncic has yet to win the league's highest individual regular-season honor.
His current competition includes Wembanyama, Gilgeous-Alexander and three-time MVP Nikola Jokic, making this season's race particularly intriguing.
While prediction-market figures fluctuate and do not represent official NBA voting, Doncic's rise reflects the growing attention surrounding his outstanding performances.
The season is still young, and maintaining this level of production over 82 games will present its own challenges.
But with Doncic putting together one of the most impressive starts of his career and the Lakers finding early success, his pursuit of that elusive first MVP award is gaining momentum.
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