Without a doubt, Luka Doncic was the best offensive player over the last week. Those numbers would normally make him an overwhelming contender for any individual honor. Yet the Lakers superstar was passed over for Western Conference Player of the Week. The honor instead went to Victor Wembanyama, whose unbeaten week with the Spurs created an entirely different argument among NBA fans.
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The NBA announced that Wembanyama and Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum had earned the Western and Eastern Conference honors for October 26 through November 1, via their NBAPR X handle.
Tatum led Boston to a perfect 4-0 record, averaging 30.3 points, seven assists, and 5.8 rebounds. His week included a 40-point performance and an overtime buzzer-beater against the Nets. Meanwhile, Wembanyama helped the Spurs finish 3-0. It included a 43-point, six-block performance against Minnesota.
However, on the Western coast, Luka Doncic’s case was difficult to ignore.
Across three games, he averaged 41 points, 9 rebounds, and 6.7 assists. He scored 41 against Portland, added 37 against the Warriors, and followed that with 45 points and 15 rebounds against Toronto.
Notably, the Lakers lost two of those games.
The latter performance against the Raptors made him the first player in NBA history to record at least 45 points, 15 rebounds, five assists, five steals, and five three-pointers in a single game.
Well, that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
Luka Doncic collected several other records in the run. He passed LeBron James for sixth-most 40-point games in Lakers history. Currently, he has 21 40-point games as a Laker. Moreover, he holds the record for the most games with 8 three-pointers as a Laker, surpassing Kobe Bryant.
In short, he was truly coming alive as a Lakers’ centerpiece.
Luka Doncic’s numbers were extraordinary, but Wembanyama’s Spurs went undefeated. That contrast quickly became the center of the discussion, with frustrated fans questioning how Doncic could deliver such a week and still miss out.
On the other hand, Wemby also racked up historic numbers. In his 43-point outing, he became the first Spurs player since David Robinson in 1996 to record at least 40 points and five blocks. Either way, fans found Luka’s number far superior.
NBA Fans Question Luka Doncic’s Player of the Week Snub
One fan summed up the disbelief with the reaction: “Luka literally has to cure cancer I see.”
The exaggeration reflected how difficult it has become to satisfy expectations surrounding Doncic. His 41-point weekly average was already remarkable, but the historic Toronto performance made the omission even harder for some fans to accept.
Another fan simply wrote, “league hates luka lol.”
That frustration speaks to a recurring complaint about award voting: individual production can sometimes take a back seat to team success. Luka Doncic’s 37-point performance against the Warriors ended in a defeat, giving voters a reason to favor Wembanyama’s perfect week.
Still, the difference between the two players’ team records did little to settle the argument for those focused on individual dominance.
The discussion grew more polarizing with another reaction: “This is how NBA is dying. What else Luka has to do- average 50/10/10/5?”
The comment captured the feeling that Doncic’s statistical standards have become almost impossible to meet. He already leads the league in scoring at 37.7 points per game through six appearances.
His 52-point performance against Utah on October 25 adds to that remarkable start, although it fell within Week 1 and therefore was not part of the latest award period.
A fourth fan took the criticism further: “This just tells me that Luka is genuinely black listed on any nba awards.”
While there is no evidence that the league has excluded Luka Doncic from award consideration, the reaction reflects growing suspicion among sections of the fanbase about how his performances are evaluated. Even last season’s MVP snub has a role to play in this reaction as well. Back to this week.
This reaction shifted the attention toward Wembanyama: “This is crazy man the nba is trying so hard to make Wemby happen.”
The criticism suggests some fans view the award as part of a broader effort to elevate the Spurs star. However, Wembanyama’s selection was not without merit. He delivered a 43-point game against Minnesota. At the same time, it helped San Antonio win all three of its games during the voting period.
Ultimately, Wembanyama had the team results and individual performances to make a strong case.
But Luka Doncic’s extraordinary production ensured the decision would not go unnoticed. The debate now extends beyond one weekly award, with fans questioning how much individual brilliance should outweigh team success.