"I don't think it's an open-and-shut case" - Zach Lowe thinks Luka will win MVP and Finals MVP over SGA next season originally appeared on Basketball Network .
There is always considerable buzz surrounding young talent in the NBA and their potential. In that conversation, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was often overlooked despite averaging over 30 points per game over multiple seasons.
However, that changed last campaign when he captured the MVP award over Nikola Jokic and led the Oklahoma City Thunder to a championship. For many, the Canadian guard put himself in a category of his own. Yet, for NBA analyst Zach Lowe , it remains difficult to definitively say that Shai has surpassed Luka Doncic in terms of overall value.
SGA was stellar throughout the 2024-25 season. First, he led the league in scoring with a career-high 32.7 points per game. Then, in the playoffs, Shai continued to average 29.9 points per game. Most impressively, his ability to exploit defenders by constantly drawing contact and getting to the free-throw line helped revive the mid-range in a league that has leaned increasingly towards three-point shooting.
However, as Lowe noted, fans should not be too quick to overlook the greatness of Doncic. Despite being criticized for being far from his best shape, Luka still earned more All-NBA First Team honors in seven seasons than Stephen Curry has had in his entire career.
Moreover, with the Don now looking to be in the best shape of his career, he has a great chance of enhancing his already stellar 28.6 points per game career scoring average. Put simply, Luka's transformation can unlock an entirely different level of dominance that the league has never seen before.
"I was having a debate with NBA people in the Summer League about even now, after watching the Thunder win the championship. Even now, after watching Luka get injured, this was before the Men's Health story and all that, would you take Luka over SGA? A year, ago, I would've taken Luka. I don't think it's an open-and-shut case despite everything that SGA just did," Lowe said on his podcast. "That's how good Luka is. That's how important his size is."
One common sentiment around the league has always been that if Luka ever shed weight and hit another gear physically, he would become nearly unstoppable. There are already stretches of games where the Slovenian defies immense pressure or complex defensive schemes to drain impossible shots. If Doncic becomes quicker and more active in transition, it would make him a devastating two-way threat without any discernible weaknesses for defenders to exploit.
While Shai, who is only 27 years old, is likely to contend for the scoring title if he remains healthy, a fully optimized Luka could pose a nearly insurmountable challenge to anyone hoping to eclipse him — be it scoring, impact, or even for the MVP contention.
However, it remains to be seen if Doncic can hold onto this lean physique and improve in most areas where he lacked a killer instinct before the 2025-26 NBA season commences.
Related: Kendrick Perkins thinks SGA's historic run made Doncic envious: "I hope Luka is jealous"
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Aug 4, 2025, where it first appeared.
