Shai Gilgeous-Alexander wins NBA Most Valuable Player award
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Newly minted NBA Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (right) drives against Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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MIAMI – Oklahoma City Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was named Most Valuable Player (MVP) in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the 2024-25 season on May 21.
Gilgeous-Alexander pipped the Denver Nuggets centre Nikola Jokic to the prize, which considers only performances during the regular season. In third place was forward Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks.
The Canadian won the vote 71-29 over Serbia’s Jokic, who has claimed the award thrice.
The guard, who finished second to Jokic in 2024, shot almost 52 per cent from the field as he led the Thunder to the best record in the league. Oklahoma City won 68 games and set a league record for scoring margin.
“You try so hard throughout the season to not think about it and just worry about playing basketball and getting better and trying to win games,” Gilgeous-Alexander told TNT.
“But as a competitor, as a kid dreaming about the game, it’s always in the back of your mind and I am very grateful to be on this side of the ballot,” he added.
Gilgeous-Alexander led the league with 32.7 points per game and also averaged 6.4 assists and 5.0 rebounds.
He 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 made an NBA-leading 601 free throws and a personal-best 163 three-pointers, 68 more threes than his previous career high of 95, which was set last term.
Gilgeous-Alexander’s only regular-season game with fewer than 20 points was an 18-point performance against the San Antonio Spurs in October.
He scored at least 20 points in each of his final 72 games, the longest streak at any point in a single season since 1963-64.
The 26-year-old can yet crown his season with a championship with the Thunder up 1-0 in their Western Conference Finals against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Game 2 is on May 22 (May 23, Singapore time) in Oklahoma City.
Gilgeous-Alexander was quick to praise his teammates for their role in the individual honour.
“None of it is possible without the guys behind me. The amount of games we won and the fashion that we won the games is so impressive and it’s probably the main reason why I get the award,” he said.
He becomes the second player from Canada to earn the honour, after two-time winner Steve Nash (2004-05 and 2005-06). The last United States-born player to win was Harden in 2018.
Gilgeous-Alexander is the third player to win the award with the Thunder, joining Kevin Durant (2013-14) and Russell Westbrook (2016-17).
Jokic finished runner-up despite having produced his best season in terms of statistics. The Serb averaged career highs in points (29.6) and assists (10.2), while topping the NBA with 34 triple-doubles.
Jokic’s 61-point triple-double on April 1 was the highest-scoring triple-double in NBA history. He is the only player to finish in the top three in scoring, rebounds and assists in a season. AFP, REUTERS
