Shai Gilgeous-Alexander received the Michael Jordan trophy as the Kia NBA MVP this season for the first time in his career, edging out Nikola Jokić and Giannis Antetokounmpo. He came in second in last year’s voting and fifth the year before that. Shai becomes the second player from Canada to win the honor, along with Steve Nash, who won the trophy twice (2004-2005, 2005-2006). He is also the third player from the Thunder to win the award, after Kevin Durant in 2013-2014 and Russell Westbrook in the 2016-2017 season.
In the 2024-25 regular season, SGA averaged 32.7 points, 6.4 assists, 5.0 rebounds, 1.01 blocks, and 1.72 steals in 34.2 minutes in 76 games. Setting career-high records in points, blocks, and assists per game, Shai became the first player to lead the league in games with at least 20 points (75), 30 points (49), 40 points (13), and 50 points (four) in a season since James Harden in 2018-19. He scored at least 20 points in each of his final 72 games. This is the longest streak at any point in a single season since 1963-64 (when Wilt Chamberlain recorded an 80-game streak and Oscar Robertson had a 76-game streak).
At 6-foot-6, SGA made a league-leading 601 free throws and 163 3-pointers, which was a personal best. This is 68 more three-point shots than his previous career high of 95 that he had set the previous season. He also shot 51.9% from the field, 37.5% from three, and 89.8% from the free throw line.
Gilgeous-Alexander joined Michael Jordan as the only players in NBA history to average at least 32.0 points and 6.0 assists per game and shoot 50.0% or more from the field in a season. MJ accomplished the feat twice, in the 1988-89 and 1989-90 seasons.
On top of being selected as an NBA All-Star for the third season in a row, Gilgeous-Alexander was named the Kia NBA Western Conference Player of the Month thrice (October/November, December, and March) and the NBA Western Conference Player of the Week two times (Weeks 10 and 20). He earned a spot on the All-Tournament Team of the Emirates NBA Cup after leading Oklahoma City to a runner-up finish.
Behind Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder (68-14) finished at the top of the Western Conference and tied for the sixth-best single-season record in the history of the league. Oklahoma City outscored opponents by an NBA-record 12.9 points per game. SGA ranked fifth in the NBA in steals per game for a Thunder team that led the league in a defensive rating of 106.6.
OKC leads the Western Conference Finals series 2-0 against Minnesota. Game three is set for 25th May at 3.30 am.
