Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is on a miraculous run right now, and the awards just keep rolling in. This time, one year after a historic 2024-25 campaign (that ended in an MVP and championship), Shai is adding the Jerry West Trophy to his collection as the NBA’s reigning Clutch Player of the Year.
The 2025-26 @Kia NBA Clutch Player of the Year is… Shai Gilgeous-Alexander! pic.twitter.com/8HijlmaJOM
— NBA (@NBA) April 21, 2026
The Clutch Player of the Year is a relatively new accolade, dating back to just 2023. Named after Lakers legend Jerry West, the award is designed to recognize the player who displays exemplary leadership and bravery when the stakes are highest. Specifically, it’s directed toward players who can consistently elevate their impact in the final five minutes of the fourth quarter or in overtime, when the score differential is five points or less.
The inaugural winner was former Kings guard De’Aaron Fox in 2023, followed by Warriors legend Stephen Curry in ’24, Knicks star Jalen Brunson in ’25, and now Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in 2026. He was chosen from a list of finalists that included Denver’s Jamal Murray and Anthony Edwards of the Minnesota Timberwolves. For Shai, while his scoring methods may be controversial, there is no denying his dominance on the court, with averages of 31.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, 6.6 assists, 1.4 steals, and 0.8 blocks per game on 55.3% shooting and 38.6% shooting from three.
Under pressure is where the star guard was at his best this season. He led the NBA in clutch points with a total of 175, along with clutch points per game at 6.5. He also led the league in go-ahead field goals, with 16, including a game-winning three-pointer against the Nuggets on March 9th. Under his guidance, the Thunder outscored opponents by 93 points during the closing minutes, the highest mark in the league.
Overall, Shai led the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 20-7 record in the clutch, establishing themselves as the NBA’s premier close-game team. In short, when the pressure is at its highest, Shai responds unlike anybody else, and it’s part of the reason why OKC had such an impressive season (64-18).
In the playoffs, the Thunder expect Shai to elevate his game even further. Even after making a statement in Game 1, with a 34-point win over the Suns, nobody in OKC is going to slow down the pace now. In fact, Shai and his teammates are only just ramping up as they prepare for a bitter fight in the games and series ahead.
For a team on such a dominant run, only total victory will be considered a success, and Shai’s consistency makes that much easier to attain. He always saves his best plays for the most important games, and it just goes to show how he rises to the occasion. Of course, while he’s been rewarded appropriately with a shiny new trophy for his collection, he may not quite be done yet.
Shai is also in MVP discussions, and there’s a good chance he could win that as well to capture his second straight. That means, by the start of next season, we could be talking about Shai Gilegeous-Alexander as a two-time champion, back-to-back MVP, two-time Finals MVP, and reigning Clutch Player of the Year. That kind of resume has the makings of an all-time great, leaving little doubt that Shai is on the track for greatness at just 27 years old.
