Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has officially cemented himself among the greatest players in NBA history after winning his second straight MVP award for the Oklahoma City Thunder.
According to ESPN insider Shams Charania, Gilgeous Alexander became just the 14th player ever to win back-to-back NBA MVP awards. That puts him in truly historic company.
Only some of the greatest names the league has ever seen have accomplished the feat, including Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Stephen Curry, Nikola Jokic, and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Now SGA joins that legendary list. The award comes after another dominant regular season where Gilgeous Alexander completely controlled the NBA from start to finish. The Thunder superstar averaged 31.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 6.6 assists while shooting an absurd 55.3% from the field and 38.6% from three-point range.
What separated him from everybody else was efficiency combined with winning.
Oklahoma City finished as the best team in basketball again with a 64-18 record, while SGA remained the engine behind everything they did offensively. His ability to dominate games without relying heavily on three-point volume or isolation spam has made him one of the most unique offensive superstars in modern NBA history.
And now he is backing it up in the playoffs, too. The Thunder have looked unstoppable throughout the postseason, sweeping both of their first two opponents, including a dominant second-round destruction of the Los Angeles Lakers. Oklahoma City finished the season with a perfect 18-0 record against California teams, including 8-0 against the Lakers alone.
SGA has been phenomenal during the playoff run as well, averaging 29.1 points, 7.1 assists, and 3.0 rebounds while shooting 51.4% from the field. But what makes this Thunder team terrifying is not only the talent.
It is the mentality. After sweeping the Lakers, Gilgeous Alexander posted a chilling message on Instagram that immediately went viral.
“I’m not thinking about how I could’ve ate more, I’m thinking about how I could win eight more.”
That statement perfectly sums up the Thunder right now.
They are no longer satisfied with playoff appearances or regular-season awards. They are chasing championships and potentially building the NBA’s next dynasty. Earlier during the playoffs, SGA even publicly embraced sacrificing personal statistics if it helped Oklahoma City win more games. That mindset has completely transformed the Thunder into the most dangerous team in basketball because there is no ego battle anywhere inside the roster.
Everybody understands the mission. The Thunder are elite defensively, deep offensively, loaded with athleticism, and terrifying in transition. They can beat teams in almost every style imaginable, and Gilgeous Alexander remains the calm superstar controlling everything in the middle of the chaos.
Now he has another MVP trophy beside his name. And at just 27 years old, it feels like he is only getting started.
