Luka Doncic is in a major NBA accolade race despite Lakers’ playoff exit

Luka Dončić did not get the postseason ending he wanted with the Los Angeles Lakers, but his individual season still forced the NBA world to pay attention. The 27-year-old guard added another major milestone to his growing résumé on Sunday after being named to the All-NBA First Team for the sixth time in his career. Even with the Lakers falling short in the playoffs and injuries slowing him late in the year, Dončić remained impossible to ignore.What made the honor stand out even more was the company he joined. Only a handful of players in league history have reached six All-NBA selections before turning 28. That list includes names like LeBron James, Tim Duncan and Oscar Robertson. Dončić’s season was not simply productive. It was historic, efficient and relentless from start to finish. Dončić earned First Team honors alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokić, Victor Wembanyama and Cade Cunningham. The selection marked his first All-NBA recognition in a Lakers uniform and added another layer to a season that consistently pushed statistical boundaries.The Slovenian star led the NBA in scoring with 33.5 points per game, the second scoring title of his career in the last three seasons. Across 64 regular-season appearances, he also averaged 7.7 rebounds, 8.3 assists and 1.6 steals while carrying a major offensive load for a Lakers team that finished with 53 wins and the fourth seed in the Western Conference.His numbers became even more impressive when placed in historical context. Dončić became only the second player ever, alongside Oscar Robertson, to record three separate seasons averaging at least 30 points, seven rebounds and eight assists. He also set a Lakers franchise record with 254 made three-pointers in his first full season with the team. March ended up defining much of Dončić’s season. While the Lakers went 15-2 during the month, he piled up 600 total points, averaging 37.5 per game. Only Michael Jordan had previously reached 600 points in March. During that stretch, Dončić produced 13 straight 30-point games, including two 50-point performances and a 60-point explosion against the Miami Heat.The postseason disappointment still lingers around Los Angeles. Dončić battled a lingering hamstring issue during the playoffs, and the Lakers could never fully recover from it. Yet voters clearly separated team frustration from individual brilliance.He received 91 First Team votes and nine Second Team votes, showing how strongly the league still viewed his season. Dončić also became the only player to win Western Conference Player of the Month honors twice this year, earning recognition in January and March. Add in another All-Star appearance, a starting nod fueled by fan voting and eight triple-doubles, and his season becomes difficult to compare with most players in today’s NBA.For the Lakers, the playoff exit raised questions about roster depth and durability. For Dončić, though, this season strengthened his standing among basketball’s elite. At 27, he already owns six First Team selections and continues to stack accomplishments at a pace shared by only a few legends in league history.