Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder has been named the NBA Most Valuable Player for the second consecutive year, becoming only the 14th player in league history to win back-to-back MVP honours.
The reigning NBA champion comfortably dominated the ballot, capturing 83 of the 100 possible first-place votes.
His triumph continues a historic era of global dominance in the sport, marking the eighth consecutive year that a non-American player has claimed the league’s most prestigious individual accolade.
The Canadian superstar celebrated the achievement at the Thunder’s practice facility, where his teammates famously showed their solidarity by wearing matching Burberry trench coats that Gilgeous-Alexander had gifted them.
Reflecting on the milestone, the humble guard was quick to deflect the praise to his roster. “Basketball’s obviously a team sport,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “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.”
The voting breakdown highlighted a highly competitive but decisive race, with Denver Nuggets star, Nikola Jokić, finishing second in total voting (10 first-place votes), followed closely by San Antonio Spurs sensation, Victor Wembanyama, in third (5 first-place votes).
Rounding out the top five were Luka Dončić of the Los Angeles Lakers in fourth and Cade Cunningham of the Detroit Pistons in fifth.
Notably, Cunningham’s two first-place votes marked the first time since 2021 that a U.S.-born player received top-tier recognition in the MVP voting cycle, just ahead of Jaylen Brown, Kawhi Leonard, and Donovan Mitchell.
Thunder head coach, Mark Daigneault, praised his star player’s steady evolution and grounded nature amidst his meteoric rise to fame. “Who he is has never changed,” Daigneault remarked, emphasizing that the guard has simply refined his skills, leadership, and perspective as he comes of age.
This latest MVP crown not only cements Gilgeous-Alexander’s status among the absolute elite in basketball history but also underscores the Oklahoma City Thunder’s current era of dominance over the rest of the league.
