Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has officially broken the Oklahoma City Thunder’s championship drought, delivering one of the most legendary individual seasons in NBA history. He joined an ultra-exclusive group of players—Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Jordan (twice), and Shaquille O’Neal—by winning the Scoring Title, league MVP, and Finals MVP all in the same season.
Despite the historic achievement, the 26-year-old remains grounded, attributing his success to consistency and dedication.
“It’s hard for me to even get my head around,” Gilgeous-Alexander said during an appearance on Good Morning America on Monday. “But it just goes to show that when you play hard, when you focus on the right things, when you take care of the right things, and you stick with that program for a certain amount of time, you can achieve anything.”
The Canadian guard’s incredible campaign saw him average 32.7 points per game on 51.9% shooting, along with 6.4 assists, 5.0 rebounds, 1.7 steals, and 1.0 blocks during the regular season—numbers that earned him his first MVP trophy.
His dominance carried into the postseason, culminating in the NBA Finals where he posted averages of 30.3 points, 5.6 assists, and 4.6 rebounds per game, leading the Thunder to a 103–91 win over the Indiana Pacers in Game 7. With that performance, he added Finals MVP honors to his résumé.
For the first time since relocating from Seattle, the Thunder are NBA champions—accomplished without the help of former franchise icons Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, or James Harden.
Alex Caruso: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the New Face of the NBA
Shai’s extraordinary run has sparked league-wide praise, with veteran guard Alex Caruso declaring Gilgeous-Alexander as the new face of the NBA.
“As far as face of the league and best player on the best team, he’s got that capability,” Caruso said. “I think the thing that sets him apart is he’ll probably be hungry for more. He probably won’t be satisfied with just winning this one time. He’ll want to do it again, he’ll want to be better, he’ll want to see how he can tweak and maneuver his game to better fit and take advantage of the way people guard him.”
With Gilgeous-Alexander entering his prime, the Thunder’s future looks bright. The team is expected to return next season with a fully healthy Nikola Topić and two first-round picks in the 2025 NBA Draft, giving OKC plenty of firepower to defend their title and build a dynasty.
