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Kia MVP Ladder: Luka Dončić, Victor Wembanyama lead debut Top 10 ranking

Welcome to the weekly listing of outstanding players, better known as the Kia MVP Ladder, where the first installment mainly reflects a collection of notables who have been there and done that in this league.

Along with a few surprises.

It’s e-a-r-l-y, yet the positioning has begun for the league’s most desired individual award. Stats matter, obviously — being among the leaders in scoring or rebounds or assists or blocks will get you considered. And those who rank in multiple categories will get heavy consideration.

Yet winning matters, too, especially later in the season. Winning is what gives a player’s season substance and meaning.

That said, salute to Luka Dončić for taking pole position, no small feat when the player right behind him is also chasing his first MVP and currently owns the season’s best performance. Victor Wembanyama has the runner-up edge over back-to-back winner Shai Gilgeous-Alexander — for now.

Here’s the debut edition of the Kia MVP Ladder for the 2026-27 season.

1. Luka Dončić, Los Angeles Lakers

Season stats: 38.5 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 8.0 APG

Dončić is on a tear, but what else is new for a two-time scoring champ and six-time member of the All-NBA First Team? He’s the first player in history to record six straight games of 35-plus points, five-plus rebounds, five-plus assists and five-plus 3-pointers. He has scored at least 40 in five of his last six games and at least 20 first-half points in six straight games. He had 52 against Utah. That led to Giannis Antetokounmpo calling Dončić one of the greatest scorers of all time, high praise indeed.

Dončić seems committed to being a better all-around player, a lofty bar to clear for sure. His defense seems to be on the up-and-up and his passing remains sharp. Dončić is once again among the assist leaders. As long as the Lakers keep winning, Dončić will enjoy the view from his place on the Ladder.

2. Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs

Season stats: 29.0 PPG, 12.4 RPG, 4.5 BPG

Well, he just dropped the signature effort that might be tough for him to top: 52 points (career-high), 24 rebounds (ditto) and eight blocks in a tight victory over the Mavericks. That’s Wilt Chamberlain stuff. And it came in the nick of time for Wemby, in this regard: He battled through efficiency issues on offense to start the season.

Therefore, Wembanyama is slowly regaining his truer self. He emerged as one of the top candidates, if not the best, for MVP after a stellar season that resulted in an NBA Finals appearance. Wembanyama’s goal is to make an equal impact at both rims, which would result in him being a fixture on or near the top of the Ladder.

3. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder

Season stats: 30.1 PPG, 4.5 APG, 4.3 RPG

A pair of massive challenges confront Gilgeous-Alexander. The first is to win MVP for three straight seasons, accomplished only by Larry Bird, Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain. Second: To elevate the Thunder in the wake of a rash of injuries, including those suffered by Chet Holmgren and, most seriously, Jalen Williams.

So far, so good for Gilgeous-Alexander, whose 43 points, eight assists, three rebounds, two steals and just one turnover against the Cavs is his statement game right now for a player who suddenly is hauling a larger amount of responsibility.

4. Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers

Season stats: 28.0 PPG, 5.4 APG, 3.8 RPG

Look who’s leading the starry Sixers in scoring? It’s none other than Maxey, whose contributions and talent are being recognized by newcomers Brown and LeBron James, and they’ve anointed Maxey as the lead singer of the group.

Maxey is not only among the league’s top scorers, but he also ranks high in steals and is showing every bit the evidence of a solid two-way player. He’s a major reason the Sixers are off to a solid start.

5. Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics

Season stats: 27.0 PPG, 7.9 APG, 6.0 RPG

Most, if not all, of the fears about Tatum here in his first full season following an Achilles injury have subsided. The more distance he puts between that and now, the better for the Celtics, who are down a star after Jaylen Brown’s trade to Philly.

Yet Tatum is showing he can carry the load, at least so far. He’s averaging 35 minutes a night, including a pair of back-to-back games for the reigning Eastern Conference Player of the Week. The Celtics will visit Brown and the East-leading Sixers on Tuesday (8 ET, NBC/Peacock).

6. Alperen Sengun, Houston Rockets

Season stats: 22.4 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 8.1 APG

He leads the Rockets in scoring, rebounds and assists, nearly averaging a triple-double. This reflects growth in Sengun, especially as a distributor; he sharpened his passing skills last season when the Rockets were without Fred VanVleet, their starting point guard.

It also helps that the Rockets are right at the top in the West. Sengun is impacting winning and, coupled with solid numbers individually, is deserving of his spot.

7. Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors

Season stats: 29.9 PPG, 4.5 APG, 3.7 RPG

He’s now 38 but still among the game’s most feared shooters and scorers, evidently, based on the early returns. He has the Warriors in a better place after starting the season with three straight losses. While the former two-time MVP hasn’t factored heavily into the race in recent years, he can still deliver MVP-flavored performances on any given night.

He was big on Monday against the Suns with 34 points in 33 minutes, and tallied 29 points and four assists in Golden State’s win over Miami on Thursday. He will look to keep leading the way for the Warriors with Jimmy Butler sidelined. 

8. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Miami Heat

Season stats: 27.3 PPG, 12.7 RPG, 5.6 APG

Antetokounmpo is in a new place, yet his work seems no different than what he delivered in Milwaukee. He’s among the leaders in scoring and rebounding and so far is consistently performing for the Heat. One big issue, though: Miami is still trying to find its footing with Antetokounmpo and wins are tough to come by here in the early season.

Antetokounmpo seems on pace to once again average at least a 20-point double-double for the season. If so, it would mark the ninth time in his last 10 seasons.

9. Cooper Flagg, Dallas Mavericks

Season stats: 24.3 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 6.3 APG

Flagg’s follow-up to his Rookie of the Year showing is looking encouraging. His numbers have actually improved virtually across the board. Furthermore, the Mavericks haven’t found themselves at the bottom of the conference, as preseason projections had them.

Flagg’s growth and ascendancy on the Ladder is real, though. But the hard part is about to begin — can he sustain, and if so, for how much longer?

10. Nikola Jokić, Denver Nuggets

Season stats: 23.4 PPG, 9.7 RPG, 9.3 APG

It’s extremely rare to see “The Joker” this low on the Ladder; blame the Nuggets’ sluggish start for that. Also, his 3-point shooting seems faulty for now. Those are the lone nitpicks for a three-time MVP winner, though, and maybe he suffers from the high bar he has kept raised for over a half-decade.

Otherwise, Jokić is averaging almost a triple-double — where have we seen that before — and once again is the centerpiece of his team, here in his 12th season and at age 31. There’s a strong suspicion he’ll rise a bit in the coming weeks.

The next 5:

14. Scottie Barnes, Toronto Raptors

15. Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks

* * *

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