Luka Dončić Speaks Out After Ruling: "It Was Important to Be There for My Daughter's Birth!"

Pulse Sports Team 17:23 - 16 April 2026

Following the news that Luka Dončić will be eligible for this season's NBA MVP award, the Lakers star shared his thoughts on Instagram.

On Thursday afternoon, news broke that the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) ruled in favor of Lakers star Luka Dončić and Pistons player Cade Cunningham, following their appeal against the "65-game rule."

Luka Dončić subsequently took to Instagram to comment on the decision.

I am grateful to the Players Association for advocating on my behalf and to the NBA for their fair decision. It was incredibly important for me to be present for the birth of my daughter in December, and I am thankful to Mark, Jeanie, Rob, JJ, and the entire Lakers organization for their full support and for allowing me to travel and be there. This season has been particularly significant for everything my teammates and I have managed to achieve, and I am honored to have the opportunity to be considered for end-of-season awards in the league. Luka Dončić

Luka Dončić Back in MVP Race

This ruling means both players are now eligible for all 2025/26 season accolades, including the MVP award and All-NBA team selections, as reported by ESPN journalist Shams Charania.

Dončić and Cunningham filed their requests through a special circumstances procedure, which allowed for consideration of specific situations impacting NBA award criteria. They successfully challenged the minimum 65-game rule, thus retaining their eligibility for individual awards.

Interestingly, Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards filed a similar appeal due to multiple injuries throughout the season, but an independent arbitrator denied his request.

To recap, Luka Dončić missed two games in December 2025 when he became a father for the second time, and injuries sidelined him for 11 additional NBA games.