Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Makes History as First-Time NBA MVP, Propelling Thunder to Record-Breaking Season

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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, guard for the Oklahoma City Thunder, has been honored with the Michael Jordan Trophy, recognizing him as the 2024-25 Kia NBA Most Valuable Player.

This marks Gilgeous-Alexander’s first time winning the Kia NBA MVP award, after placing second in last year’s voting and fifth in 2022-23. He is only the second Canadian player to achieve this distinction, following two-time recipient Steve Nash (2004-05 and 2005-06). Additionally, Gilgeous-Alexander is the third player in Thunder history to receive this award, alongside Kevin Durant (2013-14) and Russell Westbrook (2016-17).

During the 2024-25 regular season, Gilgeous-Alexander posted impressive averages of 32.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, 6.4 assists, 1.72 steals, and 1.01 blocks over 34.2 minutes in 76 games, achieving career highs in points, assists, and blocks per game.

The seven-year NBA veteran clinched the scoring title for the first time this season. He uniquely led the league in games scoring 20 points or more (75), 30 points or more (49), 40 points or more (13), and 50 points or more (four)—a feat not seen since James Harden in 2018-19.

Gilgeous-Alexander’s sole game with fewer than 20 points came against the San Antonio Spurs on October 30, 2024, where he tallied 18 points. He managed to score 20 points or more in each of his last 72 contests, setting a new record for consecutive games in a single season, surpassing the previous milestones set back in 1963-64 by Wilt Chamberlain and Oscar Robertson.

Standing at 6 feet 6 inches, Gilgeous-Alexander recorded a career-best shooting percentage of 51.9% from the field, an impressive 37.5% from beyond the arc, and 89.8% from the charity stripe, ranking him sixth in the NBA. He led the league with 601 successful free throws and achieved a personal record of 163 three-pointers, significantly increased from his past high of 95.

He is now among the elite, sharing a unique record with Michael Jordan as the only players in NBA history to average at least 32.0 points and 6.0 assists per game while boasting a shooting percentage of 50.0% or better. Jordan accomplished this remarkable feat twice during the 1988-89 and 1989-90 seasons.

On the defensive end, Gilgeous-Alexander stood out as the only player in the NBA to average at least 1.5 steals and 1.0 blocks per game. He ranked fifth overall in steals per game, contributing to a Thunder team that led the league in defensive efficiency with a rating of 106.6.

In addition to his third consecutive NBA All-Star selection, Gilgeous-Alexander earned recognition as the Kia NBA Western Conference Player of the Month three times (October/November, December, and March) and was named Western Conference Player of the Week twice (Weeks 10 and 20). He also made the All-Tournament Team at the Emirates NBA Cup after leading the Thunder to a second-place finish.

Thanks to Gilgeous-Alexander’s performance, the Thunder finished the season with a stellar record of 68-14, placing them first in the NBA and tying them for the sixth-best single-season record in league history. The team outperformed their opponents by a historic average of 12.9 points per game.

The winner of the 2024-25 Kia NBA Most Valuable Player Award was determined by a global media panel comprising 100 voters, with the results verified by the independent accounting firm Ernst & Young LLP.

The complete voting results can be found below ⬇️