Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been named the 2024-2025 NBA Most Valuable Player, sources told ESPN, a first for Oklahoma City Thunder and Canadian basketball history. 

The 26-year-old guard's phenomenal season, which featured elite scoring, defense, and leading the Thunder to the best record in the league, delivered his first MVP. 

Gilgeous-Alexander edged out Denver's Nikola Jokic and Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo in a tight race, the first Canadian to win the award and the first Thunder player since Russell Westbrook won it in 2017.

 

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 2024-2025 NBA MVP Odds 

Gilgeous-Alexander began the 2024-2025 season as an MVP candidate, and his odds grew exponentially when he led the Thunder to the first seed in the Western Conference. 

Through March 31, 2025, he was the overwhelming favorite at -4000, as listed by ESPN, well ahead of Giannis at +1200 and Antetokounmpo at +10000. Already in February, FanDuel had listed him at -650, whereas Jokic was at +430.

In spite of Jokic's late-season surge, Gilgeous-Alexander's consistency and the Thunder's supremacy gave him 77 out of 100 first-place votes in ESPN's April straw poll. His two-way impact and the team's record-breaking success made him the clear-cut first choice among voters.

 

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Stats

Gilgeous-Alexander's 2024-2025 season was a masterclass in efficiency and versatility. According to reports, he averaged 32.7 points per game on 51.9% shooting from the field, 37.5% from three, and 89.8% from the free throw line in 76 games. He also contributed 5.0 rebounds, 6.4 assists, 1.7 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game, with an effective field goal percentage of 56.9%. 

His career-best 54-point effort against the Utah Jazz on January 22, 2025, established a new Canadian scoring benchmark in NBA history. 

He paced the league with 72 straight 20-point outings and was atop the leaders in 30-point, 40-point, and 50-point games, joining statistical elite company with the likes of Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant.

Defensively, Gilgeous-Alexander was superb, ranking second in overall steals (118) and fourth amongst guards in blocks (69). His league-leading 16.6 net rating and +765 plus-minus were indicators of his worth on both ends of the floor. The sole player to finish in the top five in both offense (121.9) and defense (102.9), according to ESPN Stats & Info, he demonstrated unparalleled versatility. 

His clutch gene, where he has hit game-winners and made plays in the most crucial moments, only added to his MVP argument, with peers such as Anthony Edwards, who labeled him the league's best.

 

Oklahoma City Thunder Record

The Thunder's 68-14 mark in the 2024-2025 season was tied for the seventh-most victories in NBA history, with a league-best 13.3-point margin. They clinched the number one seed in the Western Conference by 16 games, holding a 38-9 mark through February and 63-12 through April. 

Their miserly defense, which permitted only 104.8 points per game, and their dynamic offense, propelled by Gilgeous-Alexander's scoring and playmaking, translated to a 12.4 net rating, tops in the league. In spite of injuries to some of their stalwarts, such as Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams, Gilgeous-Alexander's leadership spearheaded a 10-game winning run and 16-1 stretch in the later parts of the season. 

His +16 points per 100 possessions on-court differential helped enable the Thunder to rout opponents on a nightly basis and become the NBA's most complete team. 

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