NBA writer Shaul Powell has recently gone viral for his hot takes on Luka Doncic. The Slovenian has garnered widespread criticism lately due to his lack of effort on defense from fans and analysts. Many believe that he didn’t deserve to be ranked above Victor Wembanyama on the MVP ladder, who averages 3.1 blocks per game this season. However, Powell’s criticism of the Lakers’ guard has particularly piqued fans’ interest.
Several users looked at his bio on X, which mentioned that he was not a stat-based but more of a “narrative-driven” writer. One shared the screenshot with details and wrote:
“Your KIA MVP ladder writer.
And people think this is about stats.”
Who is Shaul Powell and how is he connected to Luka Doncic?
As per his social media profile, Shaul Powell is an NBA.com writer who is “still searching for the perfect story to tell.” Allegedly, he is also the writer who shared the reasoning behind the major shuffle in the NBA MVP ladder this week on NBA.com. After Victor Wembanyama’s statement about the league not focusing on his defense in the MVP rankings, this week’s MVP ladder update has shocked many around the league.
Wemby has taken over Luka Doncic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to lead the MVP ladder. However, the Slovenian has dropped two ranks even after extending his 30-point streak to 11 games in the last game against the Indiana Pacers. In his piece on the MVP ladder page, Powell mentioned that Luka “didn’t always put defense first, partly because he burns more energy than most on offense.”
This seemed to stir many Lakers fans on social media, who called out the writer for giving outlandish opinions on Doncic. A user called out the writer and wrote:
“What a horrible concluding sentence!! @NBA you seriously pay these writers? You literally suck in every aspect.”
Fans dug into his past profile and found some posts that many believed to be out of “hate for Luka.” A user wrote on X:
“The writer
@Powell2daPeopleWants to be famous Who gets a B2B POW and how’s down the ranking. You keep on glazing other players strength yet emphasize Luka’s weakness. Do you even watch the game. Do you know who leafs in steals.”
Another found some of Powell’s earlier posts and shared the screenshot. The user wrote:
“The guy who made the MVP ladder this week has been hating on Luka for years”
The Lakers are now set to face the Brooklyn Nets, as the 6-time NBA All-Star looks forward to extending his 30-point streak and strengthening his case for the MVP honor. His defense has no doubt improved lately, collecting 13 steals in the last four games.
Even though he might not be that impactful on the defensive side of the court as the French center, Luka Doncic has led the Lakers from the front this season. He is taking more charges on the defense, and his hustle plays are visible. Only time will tell if that will be enough to propel the team deep into the playoffs this season.
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