Shai Gilgeous-Alexander wins second MVP

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added a second straight NBA Most Valuable Player award on Sunday, the latest honor in a season that has already put Oklahoma City back at the center of the league’s title race. The NBA said the Thunder guard won the 2025-26 Kia MVP, and Oklahoma City said the award is the Michael Jordan Trophy. (nba.com) The result came one year after Gilgeous-Alexander won his first MVP on May 21, 2025. It also arrived on the eve of the Western Conference finals, with Oklahoma City scheduled to face San Antonio on Monday night. (nba.com) ### How rare is a second straight MVP for Gilgeous-Alexander? (nba.com) Sunday’s vote made Gilgeous-Alexander the 14th player to win the award in consecutive seasons, according to NBA.com. NBA.com also said he is the 18th player to win at least two MVP awards overall. May 17 also extended another league streak: Gilgeous-Alexander is the eighth consecutive MVP born outside the United States, according to the Associated Press report published by NBA.com. The other finalists this season were Denver’s Nikola Jokic and San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama, and international players finished first, second and third in the balloting for the fifth straight year, the report said. (nba.com) ### What numbers defined his 2025-26 season? Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 31.1 points, 6.6 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 1.40 steals in 68 games, while shooting 55.3% from the field and 38.6% from three-point range, the Thunder said. (nba.com) Oklahoma City said he became the first player in NBA history to average at least 30 points on 55% shooting and 38% from three in a season. A 140-game streak of scoring at least 20 points became one of the season’s signature numbers. NBA.com said Gilgeous-Alexander broke Wilt Chamberlain’s previous mark of 126 straight 20-point games on March 12 against Boston and finished the regular season at 140. (nba.com) The Thunder finished 64-18, the best record in the NBA, and posted a second straight 60-win season, the team said. Oklahoma City said the 64 victories were the second-most in franchise history. ### How did he separate himself from the rest of the field? (nba.com) The NBA’s awards page listed Gilgeous-Alexander as the MVP winner over Jokic and Wembanyama. NBA.com’s MVP coverage said he also won Clutch Player of the Year this season, his second major individual award of 2025-26. April 21 brought that first trophy of the season. (nba.com) NBA.com said Gilgeous-Alexander led the league with 175 total clutch points and received 96 of 100 first-place votes for Clutch Player of the Year. Mark Daigneault, Oklahoma City’s coach, said Gilgeous-Alexander’s progress has come in the details as much as in the box score. “Who he is has never changed,” Daigneault said, according to the AP report on NBA.com. “I think he’s touched up the edges on his game and on his leadership and on his perspective.” (nba.com) ### Where does this place him in Thunder history? Oklahoma City said Gilgeous-Alexander is the first Thunder player to win MVP more than once. The franchise said the award is the fourth MVP won by a Thunder player, following Kevin Durant in 2013-14 and Russell Westbrook in 2016-17, plus Gilgeous-Alexander’s first in 2024-25. (pr.nba.com) The Thunder said Gilgeous-Alexander and Steve Nash are the only Canadians to win NBA MVP, and both have done it twice. NBA.com’s by-the-numbers story said Gilgeous-Alexander is the seventh player this century to repeat as MVP, joining Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Stephen Curry, LeBron James, Nash and Tim Duncan. (nba.com) ### What comes next for Gilgeous-Alexander and Oklahoma City? Monday, May 18, is the next date on the calendar. CBS Sports’ playoff schedule lists Game 1 of the Western Conference finals between the Thunder and Spurs for 8:30 p.m. Eastern in Oklahoma City. (nba.com) Victor Wembanyama will be on the other side when that series opens. The AP report on NBA.com said Commissioner Adam Silver is expected at Monday’s game to present Gilgeous-Alexander with the trophy, which would be the third such presentation for him in 12 months after last season’s MVP and Finals MVP awards. (nba.com 1) (nba.com 2) (cbssports.com)