Shai Gilgeous-Alexander wins second-straight NBA MVP

The inevitable has become official. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has won his second-straight NBA Most Valuable Player award, beating out Nikola Jokic and Victor Wembanyama. Oddsmakers have predicted this outcome for quite some time now, but it is now etched into history for good. He becomes the 14th player in NBA history to win the award in two consecutive seasons.

His impact on the court was unbelievable. SGA led the Thunder to an NBA-high 64 wins, despite fellow players missing the third-most of any team due to injuries. His plus-minus was +788 on the season, more than 100 points better than the next closest player in Wembanyama (+682).

SGA averaged 31.1 points per game this season, second only behind Luka Doncic, and did so while shooting over 55 percent from the field, making him the first guard in NBA history to achieve this feat. He also posted 6.6 assists, 4.3 rebounds, 1.4 steals, and 0.8 blocks per game, showcasing that he is much more than just a scorer.

Of course, he is a scorer above all else. He overtook Wilt Chamberlain’s NBA record of consecutive regular-season games scoring at least 20 points, a record still ongoing and one he will continue to build upon next season. It currently sits at 140.

Not only did Gilgeous-Alexander win MVP, but he also took home the NBA Clutch Player of the Year award back in April. What makes this achievement even more impressive is that the Thunder won so many games by a million points that SGA didn’t even play in several 4th quarters. When you are not only the best player in the league (and likely the planet) but also the most clutch, you know you are doing something right.

Shai is the only former Kentucky player to win the NBA MVP award, and now he is the only former ‘Cat to win it twice. Seeing him grow from being Quade Green’s backup to standing atop the basketball world has been an incredible journey to watch unfold. Congrats to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.