Luka Doncic Achieves Historic Feat for Lakers Despite Hamstring Injury

Luka Doncic went down with a hamstring injury late in the season, but not before putting together one of the most historic individual campaigns in Los Angeles Lakers history.

Lakers reporter Ryan Ward shared the news on X

"Per Lakers: Luka does it again. 2nd scoring title in the last 3 seasons. 20th player in NBA history with multiple. 5th Laker ever — first since Kobe (2006-07)."
Ryan Ward

Per Lakers: Luka does it again.
2nd scoring title in the last 3 seasons.
20th player in NBA history with multiple.
5th Laker ever — first since Kobe (2006-07). pic.twitter.com/LEmuHMefyP
— Ryan Ward (@RyanWardLA) April 14, 2026

Doncic also took to his Instagram story to celebrate.

Luka IG story: pic.twitter.com/4PZ3zVyw4d
— Luka Updates (@LukaUpdates) April 14, 2026

Doncic averaged 33.5 points per game across 64 games, finishing ahead of Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who averaged 31.1. Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards was third at 28.8 PPG.

Doncic also added 7.7 rebounds and 8.3 assists per game while shooting 47.6% from the field and 36.6% from three.

In March alone, Doncic scored 600 points, becoming just one of 10 players in NBA history to score that many points in a single month.

The Lakers went 15-2 in this month. That stretch included a season-high 60-point performance against the Miami Heat, making him the first Laker to reach that number since Kobe Bryant's final game in 2016.

Doncic is now the fifth Lakers player to win an NBA scoring title, joining Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'Neal, Jerry West, and George Mikan. No Laker had led the league in scoring since Bryant did it in 2006-07, nearly two decades ago.

That run came to an abrupt stop when Doncic suffered a Grade 2 left hamstring strain late in the regular season. He traveled to Europe for specialized treatment and is scheduled to be re-evaluated soon. His availability for the playoffs remains uncertain.

Luka Doncic NBA Awards Eligibility Hinges on 65 Game Rule Appeal

Winning it in 64 games is one thing, but that number is also what triggered a separate awards eligibility problem. The NBA requires players to appear in at least 65 games to qualify for honors like MVP and All-NBA. Doncic falls one short.

His agent, Bill Duffy, has filed an "Extraordinary Circumstances Challenge" under the league's collective bargaining agreement. The argument centers on two games Doncic missed in December to fly to Slovenia for the birth of his daughter. "His daughter was born on Dec. 4 on another continent, and yet he was back in the United States competing with his team on Dec. 6," Duffy said in a statement to ESPN's Shams Charania. An independent arbitrator will decide the outcome.

The Lakers head into the 2026 NBA Playoffs as the No. 4 seed in the West, facing the Houston Rockets. The scoring title is his, but whether his full body of work gets recognized officially is still an open question.

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