Shai Gilgeous-Alexander named MVP: Thunder superstar joins Steve Nash as second Canadian to win honor

The NBA has named Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander the MVP of the 2024-25 season, marking the point guard’s first-ever MVP win. 

Gilgeous-Alexander is the third player to win MVP in Thunder history, joining Kevin Durant in 2014 and Russell Westbrook in 2017. He also becomes the second-ever Canadian to win the award, after Steve Nash won back-to-back MVPs in 2005 and 2006.

In the end, the Thunder point guard beat out Nikola Jokic, the MVP in three of the last four seasons, for the award this season. It was a close race between the two, as Jokic’s numbers stack up well in comparison to Gilgeous-Alexander, and it was evidenced by Gilgeous-Alexander winning. 

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Last year, Gilgeous-Alexander finished second to Jokic in MVP voting, which was, at the time, his highest career finish in the award. The point guard received just 15 votes to Jokic’s 79, as the Nuggets center took home his third MVP in a decisive decision.

In 2024-25, however, Gilgeous-Alexander upped his game while leading the Thunder to an NBA-best 68-14 record as the best player on the league’s top team. He also becomes the first guard to win MVP since 2018, when James Harden took home the award for the Rockets.

Here’s a look at how Gilgeous-Alexander took home his first MVP.

MORE SHAI GILGEOUS-ALEXANDER MVP

NBA MVP voting

*This section will be updated*

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander stats

Here’s a look at Gilgeous-Alexander’s 2024-25 stat line during his MVP season:

• Games: 76
• PPG: 32.7 (league-leading)
• RPG: 5.0
• APG: 6.4
• SPG: 1.7
• BPG: 1.0
• FG%: 51.9%
• 3P%: 37.5%
• FT%: 89.8%

Gilgeous-Alexander set a career-high in points per game, assists per game and three-point percentage. He also led the league with 32.7 points per game, the first time he’s led the league in that category in his career.

Since 1987, only Michael Jordan and Joel Embiid won the MVP award by averaging more points than Gilgeous-Alexander did this season. However, he does become the first MVP to have not averaged a double-double since Harden in 2018.

NBA MVP history

Here’s a look at all the players to win MVP in NBA history: