From a childhood dream to basketball’s highest individual honour, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s journey to NBA MVP is a tale of relentless growth, team spirit, and a season for the ages in Oklahoma City.
The NBA officially named Gilgeous-Alexander the Most Valuable Player, a fitting capstone to a campaign in which he led the Thunder to a league-best 68 wins and their first Western Conference Finals in eight years.
The 26-year-old Canadian became just the third MVP in Oklahoma City franchise history, joining Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, after averaging 32.7 points on 51.9% shooting, numbers that put him in company with Michael Jordan.
“I dreamt about it as a kid, but it’s a fake dream when you’re young,” Gilgeous-Alexander admitted, fighting back tears while thanking his wife during a heartfelt press conference. “It’s hard not to be a six-year-old kid again.”
Flanked by teammates wearing Rolex watches he gifted in appreciation, the moment captured the unity that has driven this Thunder squad, youthful, fearless, and bonded by belief.
Gilgeous-Alexander edged past Nikola Jokić in the voting, earning 71 first-place votes to the Serbian’s 29. Jokić, despite a dazzling 29.6-point, 12.7-rebound, 10.2-assist season, saw his Nuggets finish 18 wins behind OKC.
This was no statistical fluke. The Thunder set an NBA record with a +12.9 point differential and led the league in defense, with Gilgeous-Alexander contributing 208 combined steals and blocks, trailing only Victor Wembanyama and Dyson Daniels.
The MVP honour also makes Gilgeous-Alexander eligible for a record-setting $294 million supermax extension. Not that the numbers define him. His steady rise from second fiddle in Kentucky to MVP in OKC, speaks more to perseverance than stardom.
He joins legends like Kareem, Wilt, Giannis and Jordan in averaging 30+ points on 50% shooting for three consecutive seasons. In that company, MVP is no longer a dream it’s a declaration.
