The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) have officially ruled that superstars Luka Dončić and Cade Cunningham will remain eligible for 2025–26 end-of-season awards. The decision follows a successful appeal of the league’s 65-game minimum requirement under the “extraordinary circumstances” clause.
Dončić, who appeared in 64 games for the Los Angeles Lakers, fell one game short of the threshold after missing time in December for the birth of his child. Cunningham, representing the Detroit Pistons, played 64 games but was sidelined by a collapsed lung. The league determined that both situations met the criteria for an exception, allowing them to remain in contention for MVP and All-NBA honors.
However, the league denied a similar challenge from Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards. Despite averaging a career-high 28.8 points across 60 games, Edwards was ruled ineligible after missing time due to a knee injury and an infection. The ruling ensures that while Dončić and Cunningham can seek postseason accolades, Edwards will be excluded from this year’s ballots.