Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder has officially been crowned the National Basketball Association (NBA) Most Valuable Player (MVP) for the second consecutive season, further cementing his status as one of the league’s premier superstars, as announced in the early hours of Monday, May 18 (Philippine Standard Time).
The 27-year-old guard dominated the voting in emphatic fashion, securing 83 of the 100 available first-place votes. He finished with a commanding 939 total points, comfortably ahead of two-time MVP Nikola Jokić of the Denver Nuggets, who placed second with 834 points. Rising phenom Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs finished third with 569 points, while Luka Dončić of the Los Angeles Lakers and Cade Cunningham of the Detroit Pistons rounded out the top five in a highly competitive ballot.
Gilgeous-Alexander’s MVP triumph caps off another outstanding regular season in which he elevated both his scoring volume and overall efficiency while continuing to serve as the undisputed leader of Oklahoma City’s offense. Across 68 appearances, he averaged 31.1 points on an elite 55.3 percent shooting clip, alongside 6.6 assists and 4.3 rebounds per game—numbers that underline both his scoring versatility and his growing playmaking responsibility.
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Beyond raw production, Gilgeous-Alexander also distinguished himself in the most critical moments of games. He led the entire NBA with 175 clutch points—defined as points scored in games within five points during the final five minutes of regulation or overtime—while also earning the league’s Clutch Player of the Year award, reinforcing his reputation as one of the NBA’s most dependable late-game performers.
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been named the 2025-26 Kia NBA Most Valuable Player, earning the Michael Jordan Trophy. pic.twitter.com/pPSwgxAmPJ
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) May 17, 2026
Speaking after receiving the prestigious honor, Gilgeous-Alexander emphasized the importance of both personal discipline and team chemistry in his continued rise.
“Hard work, not being satisfied, the guys in the room having my back. Those guys go to war for me every night, but not only on the court but off the court. We have so much fun together. The NBA at times can seem like a business and a job but these guys really make it seem just fun and what it was like when I picked up basketball at a young age,” Gilgeous-Alexander said on winning the award.
His back-to-back MVP achievement places him among an exclusive group of active players with multiple MVP trophies, alongside elite company such as Nikola Jokić, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Stephen Curry. Historically, only a select few players in league history have managed consecutive MVP wins, including legends such as Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
The honor also places Gilgeous-Alexander in rare historical territory. He becomes only the fifth active player to win MVP in consecutive seasons and one of just a handful of players in the past four decades to secure multiple MVP awards before turning 28—an achievement that underscores both his early dominance and sustained excellence.
Even more striking is his scoring consistency. Gilgeous-Alexander has now averaged at least 30 points per game in four consecutive seasons, a feat achieved only once before in NBA history by Jordan, further highlighting the elite company he continues to join as his career progresses.
This marks the fourth straight season in which he has finished inside the top five of MVP voting, reflecting a remarkable level of consistency at the highest stage of the sport. With his combination of scoring efficiency, clutch performance, and leadership, Gilgeous-Alexander’s latest MVP award not only validates his individual brilliance but also signals the continued rise of Oklahoma City as a powerhouse in the Western Conference.
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