Hall of Famer Tracy McGrady weighed in on the MVP race, choosing Jaylen Brown over Luka Doncic despite the Slovenian’s recent hot streak. “Everybody is going to go with the hottest thing right now. Luka. He is on a nine-game winning streak. He is averaging 40,” McGrady said, via HoopsHype.
Vince Carter noted Doncic’s season average of 33 points over nine games, with McGrady responding that early-season misalignment on the Lakers affected Luka’s candidacy. “Although Luka was putting up crazy numbers in terms of leading the league in scoring, we didn’t consider him one even at the halfway point of him being an MVP candidate,” McGrady added.
McGrady emphasized consistency across the season, citing Brown’s performance without a co-All-Star like Jayson Tatum. “I got to go with Jaylen Brown. JB and what he is up against. No Jayson Tatum. So that means no other All-Star alongside him… Derrick White has been very good. Derrick White is really good. He is one of my favorite players,” McGrady said.
Brown, 29, has started all 66 games for the Boston Celtics, averaging 28.6 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game while shooting 47.4% from the field and 34.2% from three. His leadership on a team navigating the absence of Tatum has been a major factor in the Celtics’ 51-25 record, second in the Eastern Conference.
Doncic, 27, continues to dominate the stat sheets for the Los Angeles Lakers, averaging 33.8 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 8.3 assists per game, with the team holding a 50-26 record in the competitive Western Conference. His late-season surge has made him the focal point of MVP conversations, but McGrady prioritizes sustained impact over shorter hot streaks.
Other top scorers in the MVP race include Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (31.6 PPG), Anthony Edwards (29.3 PPG), Tyrese Maxey (28.8 PPG), and Kawhi Leonard (28.1 PPG). Brown ranks fifth in scoring among All-Stars, but his role as the sole primary scorer for Boston adds weight to McGrady’s evaluation.
