Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander repeats as NBA MVP
First guard to win consecutive awards since Steph Curry and 14th player in league history with back-to-back titles
Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been voted the NBA MVP for the second consecutive season, the league announced Sunday night.
Gilgeous-Alexander is the 14th player in league history to win back-to-back MVPs. He is the first player to win consecutive MVP awards since Denver Nuggets centre Nikola Jokic in 2020-21 and 2021-22 and the first guard to win consecutive MVPs since Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry in 2014-15 and 2015-16.
Gilgeous-Alexander received 83 first-place votes and won handily with 939 points in balloting by a panel of 100 voters who cover the NBA.
Jokic received 10 first-place votes and finished second in the balloting with 634 points. Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs was third with 589 points and five first-place votes.
“Basketball’s obviously a team sport,” Gilgeous-Alexander said on Sunday night in a celebration at the Thunder practice facility. “All the numbers, all the accolades, everything that I do on the court, if we won 10 games I wouldn’t be in this conversation. So, thank you guys so much. I love you guys.”
Signed to a four-year, US$273.3 million super maximum contract extension in the off-season, Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 31.1 points, 6.6 assists and 4.3 rebounds in 68 games this season as Oklahoma City went 64-18 and compiled the best record in the NBA.