The NBA's award season has taken an unexpected turn as the league confronts a long‑standing 65‑game minimum that traditionally governs eligibility for All‑NBA and MVP honors.
Luka Doncic and Cade Cunningham, both of whom fell short of that benchmark, successfully appealed their way onto the ballot, a move that has sparked discussion among analysts and fans alike.
The voting landscape
Doncic, who missed two games to be present for the birth of his daughter in Slovenia, finished the season fourth in MVP voting, while Cunningham, sidelined for twelve contests after a collapsed lung diagnosed on March 17, ended up fifth in the vote and earned two first‑place ballots — a first for a U.S.-born player in the past five years.
The ripple effect of those appeals is evident in the projected All‑NBA first team, which now appears poised to feature Shai Gilgeous‑Alexander, Nikola Jokic, Victor Wembanyama, Doncic and Cunningham, rounding out a lineup that blends emerging stars with a reigning MVP.
Jokic’s placement as runner‑up for the sixth straight year underscores his sustained excellence; he has collected at least one first‑place MVP vote in each of those seasons, matching the streak of Bill Russell and Larry Bird.
The article also notes a broader trend: no player drafted first overall has captured the MVP award in the last 13 years, a drought that began with LeBron James in 2013 and continues to shape narrative around rookie expectations.