Shai Gilgeous-Alexander wins second MVP

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander won the NBA’s Most Valuable Player award for the second straight season on Sunday, the league said. The Oklahoma City Thunder guard became the 14th player in league history to win the award in consecutive years, according to NBA and team releases. Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 31.1 points, 6.6 assists and 4.3 rebounds in 68 games for Oklahoma City, which finished 64-18 with the NBA’s best regular-season record. (nba.com) The award is the second major individual honor for Gilgeous-Alexander this season after he was also named the league’s Clutch Player of the Year. (nba.com) ### How rare is a second straight MVP for Gilgeous-Alexander? The NBA said Gilgeous-Alexander is the 14th player to win back-to-back MVP awards and the 18th to win at least two MVPs overall. The last player to win consecutive MVPs before him was Nikola Jokić, who did it in 2021 and 2022, according to the NBA’s account of the award. The NBA also said Gilgeous-Alexander is one of only two Canadians to win the award, alongside Steve Nash. Oklahoma City said he is the first Thunder player to win MVP more than once, after Kevin Durant won in 2014 and Russell Westbrook won in 2017. (nba.com) ### What did he do this season to win it? Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 31.1 points on 55.3% shooting and 38.6% from three-point range, while posting a career-high 6.6 assists, the Thunder said in its release. The team said he became the first player in NBA history to average at least 30 points while shooting 55% from the field and 38% from three over a season. (nba.com) Oklahoma City said Gilgeous-Alexander led the NBA in win shares at 15.2 and helped the Thunder to a second consecutive 60-win season. The Thunder finished 64-18, the second-most wins in franchise history, according to the team. (nba.com) ### Which streaks and milestones stood out? The Thunder said Gilgeous-Alexander’s streak of games with at least 20 points reached 140 after he passed Wilt Chamberlain’s previous mark of 126 on March 12 in a home win over Boston. The team also said he owns a 68-game road streak with at least 20 points, which it described as the longest such run in NBA history. (nba.com) NBA coverage of his MVP season said he totaled 92 games with 30 or more points, 21 games with 40 or more points and five games with 50 or more points across his last two MVP seasons. (nba.com) The league said that combination had previously been matched only by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar across back-to-back MVP campaigns. ### Who else was in the MVP race? The NBA listed Nikola Jokić of the Denver Nuggets and Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs as the other finalists for the 2025-26 award. Associated Press coverage carried by NBA.com said international players finished first, second and third in MVP voting for the fifth consecutive season. (nba.com) Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press, writing for NBA.com, reported that Gilgeous-Alexander’s win marked the eighth straight season in which the MVP was born outside the United States. (nba.com) That run includes Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jokić, Joel Embiid and now Gilgeous-Alexander, according to the report. ### What happens next for the Thunder and for Gilgeous-Alexander? The Associated Press report on NBA.com said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver is expected to present Gilgeous-Alexander with the trophy on Monday night. (nba.com) That ceremony is set to come before Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals, the report said. Oklahoma City opens the conference finals against San Antonio on Monday at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, according to published series schedules. The matchup puts Gilgeous-Alexander against finalist Victor Wembanyama one day after the MVP announcement. (nba.com)