Kendrick Perkins Ignites Fresh Debate By Leaving Luka Doncic Off All-NBA First Team

Kendrick Perkins’ decision to exclude Luka Doncic from his All-NBA First Team ballot has generated predictable backlash. Doncic is leading the league in scoring and has kept the Los Angeles Lakers firmly in the Western Conference playoff race. Such a feat traditionally aligns with First Team recognition. However, Perkins suggests that statistical dominance alone may not be sufficient in a historically competitive season.

The All-NBA selection process has always involved subjectivity. But the margin for interpretation has narrowed as the league’s talent pool has deepened. In past years, a player producing Doncic’s numbers on a playoff team would almost automatically secure First Team honors. This season, however, multiple players across both conferences are producing at comparable or even superior levels in different contexts.

Perkins, however, did not dismiss Doncic’s performance outright. Instead, he acknowledged his elite production while arguing that other players have had a greater overall impact on winning. That distinction is critical, as it shifts the debate from whether Doncic is elite to whether he has been more valuable than his peers.

It seems Perkins prioritizes players who elevate team performance in multiple dimensions. This approach inherently disadvantages players like Doncic, whose value is heavily concentrated in offensive creation, even if that creation is among the best in the league.

1. Kendrick Perkins’ Ballot Reflects a Team-Impact Philosophy

During the show “First Take”, Perkins said, “You’re only able to pick five, correct? So, you have SGA. I have Jokic. I have Jaylen Brown. I have Cade Cunningham because they have the best record in the Eastern Conference. And I have Wemby [because] they are second in the West.” “So, Luka doesn’t make my top first-team All-NBA. I’ll have him on my second team. Now granted I get it, he’s leading the league in scoring. But when I look at the impact that those other guys are having on their franchise.” Perkins has been open about preferring players whose contributions are closely tied to team success. Each of these players is either leading or significantly contributing to a team performing at or above expectations, which appears to be a central criterion in his evaluation. Gilgeous-Alexander and Jokic are relatively uncontroversial choices. Both are leading MVP candidates and serve as primary engines for top-performing teams. He also chose Cunningham and Wembanyama. Among all, Jaylen Brown’s selection is perhaps the most debatable.

2. Luka Doncic’s Undeniable Impact in Offensive Burden and Production

Doncic’s argument for First Team inclusion is built on the foundations of offensive responsibility and individual production. Leading the league in scoring while also serving as a primary playmaker places him in a category occupied by very few players. His statistical output is not only high but also multifaceted, encompassing not only scoring but also assists and rebounds. The Lakers’ roster construction places significant pressure on Doncic to generate offense consistently. Unlike players operating within more balanced systems, Doncic is required to initiate, create, and often finish possessions, making his production both essential and irreplaceable. This level of responsibility is often visible in the team’s performance when he is unavailable. The Lakers’ record without Doncic is evidence of his importance. His contributions extend far beyond raw numbers to include overall team functionality. In this sense, his impact can be interpreted as foundational rather than complementary. Critics may point to defensive limitations or periods of inconsistency as factors that weaken his case. However, these concerns must be weighed against the scale of his offensive contributions. Few players in the league can replicate his ability to control games, particularly in high-leverage situations. Historically, players with similar statistical profiles and team impact have been rewarded with First Team selections. If Doncic were to be excluded, it would be a departure from precedent. That’d be a shift toward valuing different types of contributions more heavily.

3. The Depth of the Field Makes Traditional Criteria Harder to Apply

One of the primary reasons this debate is so contentious is the unprecedented depth of elite talent in the league. In addition to the players included on Perkins’ ballot, several others, such as Jayson Tatum and Anthony Edwards, have strong cases for First Team consideration. This creates a scenario in which more than five players meet traditional selection criteria. In such an environment, the concept of a “snub” becomes more complex. It is no longer a matter of an undeserving player being selected over a more qualified one; rather, it reflects the limitations of the selection format itself. With only five spots available, even marginal differences in evaluation criteria can lead to significantly different outcomes. This depth also complicates the use of team success as a primary metric. While it remains an important factor, the distribution of talent across the league means that strong team performance is not always directly comparable. Context, like roster strength, injuries, and conference competitiveness, must also be considered. Similarly, individual statistics must be interpreted within their respective roles. A player in a high-usage role may produce more impressive raw numbers, while another operating within a balanced system may contribute more efficiently. Determining which form of contribution is more valuable is inherently subjective.

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• Luka Doncic
• Kendrick Perkins