Two of the best players in the NBA today are Luka Doncic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Doncic was part of a shocking trade to the Los Angeles Lakers, while Gilgeous-Alexander won MVP and led the Oklahoma City Thunder to the championship.
Jason Timpf of Hoops Tonight ranked Doncic above SGA in his player rankings for the 2025-26 NBA season. Timpf admitted that his rankings would turn heads because of the season Gilgeous-Alexander had compared to “Luka Magic” being out of shape and getting eliminated in the first round.
However, the NBA analyst for Volume Sports explained why he put Doncic above the reigning MVP and NBA Finals MVP. He argued that if the Luka who played for Slovenia at the 2025 EuroBasket replaced SGA on the 2025 Thunder, they would have won the championship easily.
If we put Luka Doncic on the best roster in the league, the Thunder, I think they would have won more easily. I think they would have avoided the massive offensive lulls that they dealt with in their playoff run. I think they would have gotten rid of Denver and Indiana more quickly than they did under Shai because I believe that Luka is a better basketball player than Shai,” Timpf said on September 10.
Doncic had an amazing run at the EuroBasket, looking slimmer and in great condition. He averaged 34.7 points, 8.6 rebounds, 7.1 assists and 2.7 steals on 45.8% from the field and 87.8% from the charity stripe. He was also better on the defensive end, though he only shot 32.1% from threes and averaged 4.3 turnovers per game.
Anthony Edwards Focused on Chasing Luka Doncic and SGA
Another young player comparable to Luka Doncic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is Anthony Edwards of the Minnesota Timberwolves. Unlike Doncic and SGA, Edwards hasn’t led his team to the NBA Finals.
NBA insider Jon Krawczynski revealed on SiriusXM NBA Radio last September 14 how serious Edwards is this offseason to be on the same level as those two superstars.
“He has been off of the social media grid and working on his game,” Krawczynski said. “He hasn’t had any international play this summer for the first time in a couple of years, which I think really allowed him to just buckle down and look at what he had done well and also what he still needs to do.”
The NBA insider added:
He was pretty forthright after the loss to the Thunder in the Western Conference Finals that he’s still got a big step to make to get to the level of a Shai or a Luka. I think he still came into the summer believing it was a little too easy to take him away from the game.”
The Timberwolves fell short in back-to-back Western Conference Finals, losing to Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks in 2024 and SGA and the Thunder in 2025.
Luka Doncic’s Secret to Being Fit Revealed
The biggest criticism Luka Doncic received after the Los Angeles Lakers‘ early first-round exit was his conditioning. Doncic worked on his body in the offseason, taking his health seriously by hiring a chef and undergoing intermittent fasting.
“The Don” also stopped playing basketball and focused on his fitness using resistance bands, deadlifts, dumbbells and agility drills.
“For the first time, I stopped playing basketball for a month,” Doncic told Jason Gay of The Wall Street Journal. “Pure training and fitness. And padel tennis.”
Doncic’s improved conditioning was visible at the 2025 EuroBasket, moving better on both ends of the floor, especially on defense.
Luka Doncic Above SGA in NBA Player Rankings for Next Season