The 2026-27 NBA regular season is two weeks in, and every team has played multiple games. That’s enough to tell you which players are coming out of the gate hot and who the frontrunners are among some of the league’s biggest stars.

On Friday, the NBA announced its first MVP Ladder of the season. Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic, who has been on a scoring tear since the season started, secured the top spot ahead of Victor Wembanyama and reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Steph Curry, who continues to prove age is just a number with another strong start to his 18th season, ranked seventh, behind Houston Rockets big man Alperen Sengun.

The full list was posted on social media after the NBA’s announcement, and fans had plenty to say, particularly about Doncic, who hadn’t been favored by the media in a long time, and Curry, who many said was ranked much lower than his production at this age.

“The media is finally waking up. Please don’t troll today Luka,” one fan said.

“How is Steph Curry not top 5?” another fan asked.

Doncic earning the No. 1 spot is no surprise, as he has been one of the hottest players in the NBA since the season started. The stats back that up. In his first eight games this season, Doncic leads the league with an absurd 38.5 points per game, including one 50-point performance and four games with at least 40 points. At this rate, Doncic is on pace to average 39 or more points per game over a season, a feat only Wilt Chamberlain has accomplished.

On the other end, Curry delivered big numbers, averaging 29.9 points per game in 28.7 minutes of floor time, his lowest playing time since the 2019-20 season. Curry’s unrelenting production may get lost in the noise around the Warriors right now, but he’s still unquestionably a top-5 player with a resume to prove it.

Steph Curry Remains Elite Amid Change of Guard in the MVP Race

If you look at the latest NBA MVP Ladder, you’ll notice one striking trend: youth. Lots of it. Steph Curry is the only player over 35 in the top 10.

The Warriors superstar is no longer a regular contender for the scoring title. He last finished top five in the 2020-21 season, when he led the NBA with 32.0 points per game to claim his second scoring title. While he has remained among the league’s most prolific scorers, he has not finished in the top five since.

Though age shows mercy to no one, Curry has still shown flashes of his elite scoring ability while contributing in other areas. But the bigger trend isn’t necessarily about veteran stars slipping; it’s about younger players stepping up and making their mark.

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