Celtics Legend Says He Would Remove Luka Doncic From All-NBA First Team

With the NBA Playoffs nearing the Finals, awards season has almost wrapped up for the league, which announced the All-NBA First, Second, and Third teams on Sunday.

The All-NBA First Team featured Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander from the Oklahoma City Thunder. Joining him were fellow MVP candidates Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets and Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs.

The final two spots went to Detroit Pistons All-Star Cade Cunningham and the Los Angeles Lakers‘ Luka Doncic. Each of these players made a strong case for being worthy of that honor, with all of them mentioned in the MVP race during the season.

As with most NBA awards and honors, debates emerge about potential snubs, as they did with Sunday’s reveal.

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Boston Celtics legend Paul Pierce weighed in on the selections and made a strong endorsement of current Celtics star Jaylen Brown, who made it on the All-NBA Second Team for the second time in his career.

“I thought he was in the MVP conversation. When you’re in the MVP conversation, you should be a First Team. But, you know, the guys that made it are also well deserving,” Pierce stated, later adding, “I would’ve probably removed Luka for Jaylen.”

Pierce contended that Luka “had more to work with” playing for the Lakers this past season than Brown had playing for the Celtics, who were missing Jayson Tatum most of their season.

“Jaylen Brown, he did the most with the least,” the Celtics legend said.

He also mentioned he wasn’t all that upset about Luka earning the nod, given that Luka had a “spectacular year” worthy of the selection. However, Pierce said he personally felt Brown was fourth in the MVP race.

Luka’s All-NBA First Team selection was the sixth of his career, and sixth since 2020. He’s been on that First Team every year except 2025, when he started with the Dallas Mavericks and later got traded to the Lakers.

This past season, he led the league in scoring, averaging 33.5 points per game. He was good for at least a double-double each night and a triple-double threat many times, with 8.3 assists and 7.7 rebounds per game.

He and his team also had to file an appeal so he could even be part of the award conversations, given that he had only played in 64 games and the league requires players to play in 65 for award eligibility.

However, the NBA and NBPA granted the appeal due to his missing time for the birth of his baby daughter. They also granted Cunningham’s appeal, as he played only 64 games this past season, missing some time due to a collapsed lung.

One has to think if one or both of those players didn’t appeal, or have their appeal granted, that Jaylen Brown might have been the next player to take a spot on the All-NBA First Team.

And with Brown facing off-court controversy and trade speculation this offseason, one has to think there’s a chance he could join a new team, become their top star, and earn that First Team selection.

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This story was originally published May 25, 2026 at 4:18 PM.