3 NBA players under 25 who are most likely to win multiple Finals MVP

#2 Luka Doncic (Age 22)

Philadelphia 76ers v Dallas Mavericks

There isn’t enough that you can say about Luka Doncic’s greatness. He has consistently made heads turn in his three seasons in the league. From winning the 2019 Rookie of the Year to already becoming a two-time All-Star to leading his team from the front, Doncic has met the NBA challenge head-on.

Doncic, who was born in Slovenia, already has 36 triple-doubles to his credit in his three-year NBA career. Russell Westbrook, the NBA’s all-time leader in triple-doubles with 184 TDs against his name, had just five triple doubles between 2008 and 2011 in comparison. Doncic’s triple-doubles tally dwarfs LeBron James’ numbers too. James had just nine triple-doubles in his first three NBA seasons.

Or consider Luka’s magic in the NBA playoffs. Last season, he single-handedly pushed the Mavs to a six-game series against the Los Angeles Clippers. Doncic averaged 31.0 ppg, 9.8 rpg and 8.7 apg in that series, where he hit a memorable game-winner over the outstretched hands of Reggie Jackson in Game 4 of the series.

In the 2021 postseason, Doncic’s 35.7 ppg was the most by any player in a series. He once again led the Mavericks from the front, also averaging 7.9 rpg and 10.3 apg while playing hurt against the Clippers. The idea that he will only get better with age makes him a certain repeat Finals MVP prospect in the future.

#3 Jayson Tatum (Age 23)

Boston Celtics v Brooklyn Nets - Game Five

The Boston Celtics’ wing player already has two Eastern Conference Finals appearances to his credit. Jayson Tatum is a two-time All-Star, who also won an Olympic Gold with team USA at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. Tatum is also only the second player (the first being Larry Bird) in Celtics history to score 60 points in an NBA game.

Tatum has already shown that he can lead the Celtics on his broad, young shoulders. He has improved his scoring average in each of his four NBA seasons, going from 13.9 ppg in his rookie year to 26.4 ppg in 2020-21. He can also knock down long range shots, averaging 39.6% for his career from downtown.

But Tatum’s biggest quality is turning up during clutch moments. He has shown the ability to close out games with his heroics in the dying moments of a contest. That is perhaps the most important quality required in a Finals MVP, something that goes beyond quantifiable statistical numbers. Be it Giannis Antetokounmpo or Paul George, Tatum has proved that he can get his team the win against the best of defenders in pressure situations.