Everything You Need To Know About Luka Dončić’s Catastrophic Injury

OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - APRIL 02: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts after a play during the second half against the Oklahoma City Thunder at the Paycom Center on April 2, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images) Getty Images On Friday, it was announced that Luka Dončić will be out indefinitely after suffering a Grade 2 left hamstring strain during the Los Angeles Lakers’ 139-96 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

While there isn’t a definite timetable for Dončić’s return, Shams Charania also mentioned in his reporting that Dončić will miss the remainder of the regular season. Along with potentially destroying the Lakers’ season (more on this in a moment), this would also make Dončić ineligible for any end-of-season awards. It has been a major talking point this season, but just in case you are unaware, players are only eligible for end-of-season awards (outside of Rookie of the Year and Sixth Man of the Year) if they play at least 65 games (and 20+ minutes in each of those games).

As it stands, Dončić fell just short of this threshold – appearing in 64 games for Los Angeles before going down on Thursday. So, it appears this hamstring strain will keep him from MVP/All-NBA ballots. The league does have an exception for season-ending injuries.

If a player has played over 20 minutes in at least 62 games, they are still eligible if they suffer a "season-ending" injury. However, Dončić’s injury will likely not fit this description. The NBA defines a season-ending injury in this case as "one that an independent physician (jointly selected by the league and players’ union) deems more likely than not to sideline the player through at least May 31.