Latest news with #NBAFinalsMostValuablePlayer
Straits Times
6 hours ago
- Sport
- Straits Times
‘A great start': NBA crown just the beginning for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander becomes just the fourth player in history to win NBA regular season and NBA Finals Most Valuable Player honours, as well as the league's scoring title. PHOTO: EPA-EFE Oklahoma City – Shai Gilgeous-Alexander believes Oklahoma City's National Basketball Association (NBA) Finals triumph could be the beginning of a golden era for him and his youthful Thunder teammates. The Thunder completed a 4-3 series victory over the Indiana Pacers on June 22, powering to a 103-91 win at the Paycom Centre to seal the franchise's first title since moving to Oklahoma City from Seattle in 2008. For Gilgeous-Alexander, the win completed a dazzling season that saw him become just the fourth player in history to win NBA regular season and NBA Finals Most Valuable Player honours, as well as the league's scoring title. 'It's hard to believe that I'm part of that group. It's hard to even fathom that I'm that type of basketball player sometimes,' he said after Game 7. 'I'm just glad and happy that my dreams have been able to come true.' The 1.98m guard was the clear favourite to win the award if the Thunder captured the championship, averaging 30.3 points, 5.6 assists and 4.6 rebounds per game in the seven-game series. Perhaps most significantly, the 26-year-old Canadian point guard is the offensive totem of a Thunder team, that, with an average age of 25.6, is the youngest to win an NBA Finals title since 1977. Afterwards, Gilgeous-Alexander said the championship represented 'a great start' for this Thunder generation. 'We definitely still have room to grow. That's the fun part of this,' he told reporters. 'So many of us can still get better. 'There's not very many of us on the team that are 'in our prime' or even close to it. 'We have a lot to grow, individually and as a group. I'm excited for the future of this team. This is a great start. I'm really excited for this team. ' Throughout a regular season campaign that saw them compile a franchise record 68-win season, the obvious bond between Oklahoma City's players emerged as a feature of their march to the title. Post-game television interviews on-court invariably became joyous, spontaneous team-bonding sessions, with Gilgeous-Alexander joined by several teammates as they celebrated yet another win. 'Our togetherness on and off the court, like how much fun we have, it made it so much easier,' Gilgeous-Alexander said. 'It made it feel like we were just kids playing basketball. It was so fun.' The Thunder's head coach Mark Daigneault – himself a relatively youthful 40 – said his team had successfully blended steel and selflessness. 'They behave like champions, they compete like champions,' Daigneault said. 'They root for each others' success, which is rare in professional sports. 'I've said it many times and I'll say it one more time – this is an uncommon team and now they're champions.' Gilgeous-Alexander scored 29 points and handed out a career playoff high 12 assists and the Thunder's swarming defense finally proved to much for a Pacers team that lost talisman Tyrese Haliburton to a leg injury just seven minutes into the contest. Jalen Williams scored 15 of his 20 points in the second half and Chet Holmgren added 18 points, eight rebounds, a steal and five of the Thunder's eight blocked shots. Gilgeous-Alexander's Finals-Regular Season MVP double puts him into an exclusive club of only 11 players to have achieved the feat which comprises LeBron James, Shaquille O'Neal, Tim Duncan, Hakeem Olajuwon, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Moses Malone, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Willis Reed. Only three other players – Abdul-Jabbar, Jordan and O'Neal – have also added the league's scoring title in the same season. But for Gilgeous-Alexander, the individual milestones pale in comparison to the collective success. 'All the achievements and accolades and things, they don't even come close to the satisfaction of winning with your brothers and people that you are so close to and want to succeed just as much as you want yourself to succeed,' he said. 'That's been the most impressive and fun part of it – just to know that I have 15 brothers that I just experienced a once-in-a-lifetime experience with. 'I'll never forget them, they'll never forget me.' The No. 11 overall pick by the Charlotte Hornets in the 2018 draft, the Canadian was traded on draft night to the Los Angeles Clippers. After his rookie season, the Clippers shipped the Kentucky product to Oklahoma City in a package for Paul George, tipping the first domino in what would become one of the league's most successful rebuilds. Gilgeous-Alexander was a fringe All-Star calibre player for three seasons, in two of which the Thunder won fewer than 30 games, until he burst into the forefront of the NBA in the 2022-23 season, averaging 31.4 points per game. Last season, he was the runner-up for MVP gong while Oklahoma City fell short of a title in a second-round exit. A year later, Gilgeous-Alexander hoisted the first Larry O'Brien and Finals MVP trophies that Oklahoma City has ever seen. AFP, REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
New Straits Times
8 hours ago
- Sport
- New Straits Times
'A great start': NBA crown just the beginning for Shai
OKLAHOMA CITY: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander believes Oklahoma City's NBA Finals triumph could be the beginning of a golden era for him and his youthful Thunder teammates. The Thunder completed a 4-3 series victory over the Indiana Pacers on Sunday, powering to a 103-91 win at the Paycom Center to seal the franchise's first title since moving to Oklahoma City from Seattle in 2008. For Gilgeous-Alexander, Sunday's win completed a dazzling season that saw him become just the fourth player in history to win NBA regular season and NBA Finals Most Valuable Player honors as well as the league's scoring title. Perhaps most significantly, the 26-year-old Canadian point guard is the offensive totem of a Thunder team, that, with an average age of 25.6, is the youngest to win an NBA Finals title since 1977. Afterwards, Gilgeous-Alexander said the championship represented "a great start" for this Thunder generation. "We definitely still have room to grow. That's the fun part of this," he told reporters. "So many of us can still get better. There's not very many of us on the team that are 'in our prime' or even close to it. "We have a lot to grow, individually and as a group. I'm excited for the future of this team. This is a great start. I'm really excited for this team." Throughout a regular season campaign that saw them compile a franchise record 68-win season, the obvious bond between Oklahoma City's players emerged as a feature of their march to the title. Post-game television interviews on-court invariably became joyous, spontaneous team-bonding sessions, with Gilgeous-Alexander joined by several teammates as they celebrated yet another win. "Our togetherness on and off the court, like how much fun we have, it made it so much easier," Gilgeous-Alexander said. "It made it feel like we were just kids playing basketball. It was so fun." The Thunder's head coach Mark Daigneault – himself a relatively youthful 40 – said his team had successfully blended steel and selflessness. "They behave like champions, they compete like champions," Daigneault said. "They root for each others' success which is rare in professional sports. I've said it many times and I'll say it one more time – this is an uncommon team and now they're champions." Gilgeous-Alexander's Finals-Regular Season MVP double puts him into an exclusive club of only 11 players to have achieved the feat which includes LeBron James, Shaquille O'Neal, Tim Duncan, Hakeem Olajuwon, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Moses Malone, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Willis Reed. Only three other players – Abdul-Jabbar, Jordan and O'Neal – have also added the league's scoring title in the same season. But for Gilgeous-Alexander, the individual milestones pale in comparison to the collective success. "All the achievements and accolades and things, they don't even come close to the satisfaction of winning with your brothers and people that you are so close to and want to succeed just as much as you want yourself to succeed," Gilgeous Alexander said. "That's been the most impressive and fun part of it – just to know that I have 15 brothers that I just experienced a once-in-a-lifetime experience with. "I'll never forget them, they'll never forget me." - AFP
The Herald Scotland
8 hours ago
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Kevin Durant traded to Rockets in blockbuster deal: See trade details
The person spoke under the condition of anonymity on Sunday, June 22, because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the trade until it becomes official. Durant is set to enter the final season of his contract. The trade cannot be formalized until July 1, the start of the new league year. ESPN was first to report the news of the trade. Since he won a pair of consecutive NBA championships with the Warriors in 2017 and 2018, Durant has sought another title. His stints with the Brooklyn Nets and Suns didn't elevate either team to serious contention, though his statistical production has remained constant. And, with Durant set to enter the 2025-26 season as a 37-year-old, this may present his last chance to contend for another NBA Finals. This past season, Phoenix missed the play-in window and finished 11th in the Western Conference with a 36-46 record. The Suns dealt with several injuries throughout the season, including an ankle issue Durant sustained toward the end of the regular season that forced him to miss Phoenix's final seven games, six of which were losses. The Suns, who had the highest payroll in the NBA with Devin Booker and Bradley Beal also commanding large salaries, struggled to gel and lacked depth. In an attempt to work through those issues, players often had to change their roles and responsibilities, ultimately costing former coach Mike Budenholzer his job. Despite that, Durant averaged 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game in 62 appearances. In Durant, the Rockets are acquiring a proven commodity and an elite, three-level scorer who can knock down shots with ease, particularly late in games. This is something that should instantly help Houston, whose offense at times stagnated with no obvious top scoring threat. The No. 2 seed in the Western Conference that was bounced out of the first round of the playoffs, this move should boost Houston's chance to make a deep run in the postseason. With 30,571 career points, Durant ranks eighth on the all-time scoring list and is in real position to climb further; Durant, who scored 1,647 points this season with the Suns, needs just 1,722 points to surpass Michael Jordan (32,292), who is fifth on the list. A four-time scoring champion, two-time NBA Finals Most Valuable Player, 11-time All-NBA selection and the 2013-14 NBA Most Valuable Player, Durant was selected second overall in the 2007 NBA draft by the Seattle SuperSonics (who later became the Oklahoma City Thunder). Durant, a fixture on Team USA, is also a four-time Olympic gold medalist.
The Hindu
10 hours ago
- Sport
- The Hindu
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander first since LeBron James in 2012-2013 to win both NBA regular season and Finals MVP in same campaign
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was named the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP) on Sunday after the Thunder guard helped his side to a 103-91 victory over the Indiana Pacers at Oklahoma City's Paycom Center. 'For me this is a win for my family, it's a win for my friends, it's a win for everybody that was in my corner growing up,' Gilgeous-Alexander, who has now become the first player since LeBron James in the 2012-2013 season to be named the MVP of both the regular season and the Finals in the same campaign, said. READ: Thunder wins second title, beats Pacers in Game 7 of NBA finals 'It means everything. This is why you play the sport—you play every sport to win. We have a team full of competitors. We did what it took to be champions, and we deserve this. We rose to the moment, and here we are.' The 26-year-old Canadian star joins an elite club of only 11 players to have achieved the feat, which includes James, Shaquille O'Neal, Tim Duncan, Hakeem Olajuwon, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Moses Malone, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Willis Reed. Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 29 points, 12 assists, five rebounds, a pair of blocked shots, and a steal in the thrilling game 7 decider.
Hindustan Times
10 hours ago
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander adds NBA Finals MVP to award list: What is the total prize money for all his prizes?
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finished off his MVP season with 29 points and 12 assists, and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Indiana Pacers 103-91 in Game 7 of the NBA Finals on Sunday night. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder celebrates with the Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player trophy after defeating the Indiana Pacers 103-91 in Game Seven of the 2025 NBA Finals at Paycom Center on June 22, 2025 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.(Getty Images via AFP) With the win, Gilgeous-Alexander won the NBA Finals MVP award, topping his season, which had already been shining with various awards and titles. He won the NBA scoring champion award, season MVP, Western Conference Final MVP, and NBA championship title. It was certainly a legendary season for SGA and the OKC Thunder. Here is a look at the prize money Shai Gilgeous-Alexander got for each of his awards this season: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander awards: How much prize money does each title carry? The NBA Scoring Champion: This award does not come with a specific monetary prize. While the NBA has various prize pools for other competitions like the In-Season Tournament and the All-Star Game, the scoring champion is recognised with the award trophy and the prestige of being the league's leading scorer for the regular season. The recognition is a significant honour, but not tied to a direct cash reward. The NBA season MVP: The best player in the NBA regular season gets the Kia Most Valuable Player trophy for his exploits. This award also doesn't come with prize money from the NBA, as it is a prestige award. But players do get a significant bonus in their contracts for winning the prize. Conference Finals MVP: Just like the other MVP awards, the Conference Finals MVP doesn't get prize money with the award. It is also a prestige award that puts a player in the list of greats. And they could get a bonus for winning it if they have a clause to that effect in their contract. NBA Champions: The winner of the NBA title gets a huge prize money, depending on the team's record in the season. The Thunder walked away with the full $12.42 million—$828,000 per player, thanks to finishing the season with the NBA's best record. That is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's prize money for winning the title. NBA Finals MVP: The distinction of being the NBA Finals MVP is enough, and winning both this award and the season MVP just puts the player in the stratosphere of stardom. The NBA does not include a direct cash prize for Finals MVP in its official regulations. The glory is real, but the league doesn't issue a monetary award for this title.
