Another non US-born superstar voted NBA MVP
If that wasn't enough, he also won the scoring title.
That's an MVP year.
Gilgeous-Alexander was announced on Wednesday as the NBA's Most Valuable Player, his first time winning the award. It's now seven straight years that a player born outside the US won MVP, extending the longest such streak in league history.
Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 32.7 points, 6.4 assists and five rebounds per game this season, leading OKC to a 68-14 record. The Thunder outscored teams by 12.9 points per game, the biggest margin in league history.
He becomes the second Canadian to win MVP; Steve Nash won it twice.
"His value is his confidence," Oklahoma City's Kenrich Williams said of Gilgeous-Alexander, his Thunder teammate for the last five seasons.
"His confidence that he has in himself and the confidence that he instills in every one of his teammates, including the coaches."
Denver's Nikola Jokic — a winner of three of the last four MVP awards — was second, despite a season for the ages. He averaged 29.6 points, 12.7 rebounds and 10.2 assists per game, the first centre to average a triple-double and the first player since all those stats were tracked to finish in the NBA's top three in all three of those categories.
"He's a special player," Jokic said of Gilgeous-Alexander earlier this week when the Thunder eliminated the Nuggets in the Western Conference semi-finals.
"His shot selection, his shot capability ... he's always there. He's a special player."
Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo, who averaged 30.4 points, 11.9 rebounds and 6.5 assists per game, was third. He started this run of international players winning MVP; Antetokounmpo, of Greek and Nigerian descent, won in 2019 and 2020.
Jokic, a Serbian, won in 2021, 2022 and 2024. And Philadelphia's Joel Embiid, who was born in Cameroon but since became a US citizen, won the award in 2023.
Now, it's Gilgeous-Alexander — a son of Ontario, where hockey reigns — carrying the MVP flag.
The MVP award, like most other NBA honours, was voted on by a global panel of 100 writers and broadcasters who cover the league and cast ballots shortly before the start of the playoffs.
The other awards that were part of that voting process and have already had their results unveiled: Cleveland's Kenny Atkinson winning coach of the year, Atlanta's Australian Dyson Daniels winning most improved player, San Antonio's Stephon Castle winning rookie of the year, Cleveland's Evan Mobley winning defensive player of the year, New York's Jalen Brunson winning clutch player of the year and Boston's Payton Pritchard winning sixth man of the year.
The case for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was simple. He's the best player on an Oklahoma City Thunder team that had the best record this season and set a league mark for margin of victory.
If that wasn't enough, he also won the scoring title.
That's an MVP year.
Gilgeous-Alexander was announced on Wednesday as the NBA's Most Valuable Player, his first time winning the award. It's now seven straight years that a player born outside the US won MVP, extending the longest such streak in league history.
Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 32.7 points, 6.4 assists and five rebounds per game this season, leading OKC to a 68-14 record. The Thunder outscored teams by 12.9 points per game, the biggest margin in league history.
He becomes the second Canadian to win MVP; Steve Nash won it twice.
"His value is his confidence," Oklahoma City's Kenrich Williams said of Gilgeous-Alexander, his Thunder teammate for the last five seasons.
"His confidence that he has in himself and the confidence that he instills in every one of his teammates, including the coaches."
Denver's Nikola Jokic — a winner of three of the last four MVP awards — was second, despite a season for the ages. He averaged 29.6 points, 12.7 rebounds and 10.2 assists per game, the first centre to average a triple-double and the first player since all those stats were tracked to finish in the NBA's top three in all three of those categories.
"He's a special player," Jokic said of Gilgeous-Alexander earlier this week when the Thunder eliminated the Nuggets in the Western Conference semi-finals.
"His shot selection, his shot capability ... he's always there. He's a special player."
Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo, who averaged 30.4 points, 11.9 rebounds and 6.5 assists per game, was third. He started this run of international players winning MVP; Antetokounmpo, of Greek and Nigerian descent, won in 2019 and 2020.
Jokic, a Serbian, won in 2021, 2022 and 2024. And Philadelphia's Joel Embiid, who was born in Cameroon but since became a US citizen, won the award in 2023.
Now, it's Gilgeous-Alexander — a son of Ontario, where hockey reigns — carrying the MVP flag.
The MVP award, like most other NBA honours, was voted on by a global panel of 100 writers and broadcasters who cover the league and cast ballots shortly before the start of the playoffs.
The other awards that were part of that voting process and have already had their results unveiled: Cleveland's Kenny Atkinson winning coach of the year, Atlanta's Australian Dyson Daniels winning most improved player, San Antonio's Stephon Castle winning rookie of the year, Cleveland's Evan Mobley winning defensive player of the year, New York's Jalen Brunson winning clutch player of the year and Boston's Payton Pritchard winning sixth man of the year.
The case for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was simple. He's the best player on an Oklahoma City Thunder team that had the best record this season and set a league mark for margin of victory.
If that wasn't enough, he also won the scoring title.
That's an MVP year.
Gilgeous-Alexander was announced on Wednesday as the NBA's Most Valuable Player, his first time winning the award. It's now seven straight years that a player born outside the US won MVP, extending the longest such streak in league history.
Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 32.7 points, 6.4 assists and five rebounds per game this season, leading OKC to a 68-14 record. The Thunder outscored teams by 12.9 points per game, the biggest margin in league history.
He becomes the second Canadian to win MVP; Steve Nash won it twice.
"His value is his confidence," Oklahoma City's Kenrich Williams said of Gilgeous-Alexander, his Thunder teammate for the last five seasons.
"His confidence that he has in himself and the confidence that he instills in every one of his teammates, including the coaches."
Denver's Nikola Jokic — a winner of three of the last four MVP awards — was second, despite a season for the ages. He averaged 29.6 points, 12.7 rebounds and 10.2 assists per game, the first centre to average a triple-double and the first player since all those stats were tracked to finish in the NBA's top three in all three of those categories.
"He's a special player," Jokic said of Gilgeous-Alexander earlier this week when the Thunder eliminated the Nuggets in the Western Conference semi-finals.
"His shot selection, his shot capability ... he's always there. He's a special player."
Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo, who averaged 30.4 points, 11.9 rebounds and 6.5 assists per game, was third. He started this run of international players winning MVP; Antetokounmpo, of Greek and Nigerian descent, won in 2019 and 2020.
Jokic, a Serbian, won in 2021, 2022 and 2024. And Philadelphia's Joel Embiid, who was born in Cameroon but since became a US citizen, won the award in 2023.
Now, it's Gilgeous-Alexander — a son of Ontario, where hockey reigns — carrying the MVP flag.
The MVP award, like most other NBA honours, was voted on by a global panel of 100 writers and broadcasters who cover the league and cast ballots shortly before the start of the playoffs.
The other awards that were part of that voting process and have already had their results unveiled: Cleveland's Kenny Atkinson winning coach of the year, Atlanta's Australian Dyson Daniels winning most improved player, San Antonio's Stephon Castle winning rookie of the year, Cleveland's Evan Mobley winning defensive player of the year, New York's Jalen Brunson winning clutch player of the year and Boston's Payton Pritchard winning sixth man of the year.
The case for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was simple. He's the best player on an Oklahoma City Thunder team that had the best record this season and set a league mark for margin of victory.
If that wasn't enough, he also won the scoring title.
That's an MVP year.
Gilgeous-Alexander was announced on Wednesday as the NBA's Most Valuable Player, his first time winning the award. It's now seven straight years that a player born outside the US won MVP, extending the longest such streak in league history.
Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 32.7 points, 6.4 assists and five rebounds per game this season, leading OKC to a 68-14 record. The Thunder outscored teams by 12.9 points per game, the biggest margin in league history.
He becomes the second Canadian to win MVP; Steve Nash won it twice.
"His value is his confidence," Oklahoma City's Kenrich Williams said of Gilgeous-Alexander, his Thunder teammate for the last five seasons.
"His confidence that he has in himself and the confidence that he instills in every one of his teammates, including the coaches."
Denver's Nikola Jokic — a winner of three of the last four MVP awards — was second, despite a season for the ages. He averaged 29.6 points, 12.7 rebounds and 10.2 assists per game, the first centre to average a triple-double and the first player since all those stats were tracked to finish in the NBA's top three in all three of those categories.
"He's a special player," Jokic said of Gilgeous-Alexander earlier this week when the Thunder eliminated the Nuggets in the Western Conference semi-finals.
"His shot selection, his shot capability ... he's always there. He's a special player."
Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo, who averaged 30.4 points, 11.9 rebounds and 6.5 assists per game, was third. He started this run of international players winning MVP; Antetokounmpo, of Greek and Nigerian descent, won in 2019 and 2020.
Jokic, a Serbian, won in 2021, 2022 and 2024. And Philadelphia's Joel Embiid, who was born in Cameroon but since became a US citizen, won the award in 2023.
Now, it's Gilgeous-Alexander — a son of Ontario, where hockey reigns — carrying the MVP flag.
The MVP award, like most other NBA honours, was voted on by a global panel of 100 writers and broadcasters who cover the league and cast ballots shortly before the start of the playoffs.
The other awards that were part of that voting process and have already had their results unveiled: Cleveland's Kenny Atkinson winning coach of the year, Atlanta's Australian Dyson Daniels winning most improved player, San Antonio's Stephon Castle winning rookie of the year, Cleveland's Evan Mobley winning defensive player of the year, New York's Jalen Brunson winning clutch player of the year and Boston's Payton Pritchard winning sixth man of the year.
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