Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander crowned NBA MVP after historic season

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the NBA's Most Valuable Player, the league announced Wednesday night.

Gilgeous-Alexander led the NBA for the first time with 32.7 points per game and joined Michael Jordan as the only players in league history to average at least 30 points per game on 50 percent shooting and average at least five rebounds, five assists, 1.5 steals and one block in a season.

Jordan did it twice, and each time he was named NBA MVP (1988, 1991).

Gilgeous-Alexander received 71 first-place votes and a total of 913 points in the 100-person voting.

"You try so hard all season not to think about that and just worry about playing basketball and getting better and trying to win," Gilgeous-Alexander said. "But as a competitor, as a kid who dreams of the game, it's always in the back of your mind and I'm very grateful to be on this side of the ballot."

Denver player Nikola Jokić, who was MVP of the NBA for the third time in his career last season, finished second with 787 points. Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo was third (470 total), Boston's Jayson Tatum fourth (311) and Cleveland's Donovan Mitchell fifth (74) of the 12 players who received votes.

Gilgeous-Alexander succeeded Russell Westbrook

By winning the title of MVP, this great NBA player succeeded Russell Westbrook, who as a Thunder player did it in 2017, and Kevin Durant, who won the award in 2014.

Gilgeous-Alexander shot 51.9 percent, averaged 6.4 assists, 5.0 rebounds, 1.7 steals and 1.0 blocks in 2024-25. He was named to the All-Star First Team for the second consecutive season. He averaged over 30 points per game for the third straight season.

"None of this is possible without the guys behind me," Gilgeous-Alexander said. "The number of games we've won and the way we've won them is so impressive, and that's probably the main reason I got the award."

The young basketball player showed how much he appreciates his colleagues and coach, and there is no doubt that he will be an important link in his team in the coming period as well.