Luka Dončić, Cade Cunningham ruled eligible for NBA awards; Anthony Edwards challenge denied
· Yahoo Sports
LOS ANGELES — The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association announced Thursday that Luka Dončić of the Los Angeles Lakers and Cade Cunningham of the Detroit Pistons will remain eligible for all major league awards for the 2025–26 regular season under the league’s extraordinary circumstances provision.
The decision, made jointly by the league and union in accordance with the collective bargaining agreement, allows both players to qualify despite falling short of the standard 65-game threshold typically required for postseason honors.
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Cunningham appeared in 63 qualifying games, missing 12 after being diagnosed with a collapsed lung on March 17. Dončić played in 64 qualifying games, including an absence of two games while attending the birth of his daughter in Slovenia. The NBA and NBPA determined that, based on the totality of circumstances in both cases, each player met the criteria for the exception.
The ruling ensures both Cunningham and Dončić remain in contention for awards such as Most Valuable Player, All-NBA teams and other end-of-season honors, preserving their candidacies despite the missed time.
In a separate decision, Anthony Edwards of the Minnesota Timberwolves was denied eligibility after filing his own extraordinary circumstances challenge. Edwards, who played in 60 qualifying games, sought a ruling from an independent arbitrator but did not receive a favorable decision.
As a result, Edwards will be ineligible for all annual awards for the 2025–26 season.
The outcomes highlight the growing significance of the 65-game rule, which was implemented in the current CBA to ensure award winners meet a minimum participation standard. However, the agreement also includes provisions for rare exceptions, as seen in the cases of Cunningham and Dončić.
With the regular season complete, award voting is expected to proceed with both players included on ballots, while Edwards’ absence could reshape the final results across multiple categories.