Well deserved, Alexander defeated Jokic to become the most valuable player in the NBA in 2024-25 season

Thunder guard Shea Gilgers-Alexander won the 2024-25 NBA Most Valuable Player Award, ending Nikola Jokic's fourth race to compete for the award.

According to ESPN's Shams Charania, Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shay Gilgers-Alexander won the Michael Jordan Trophy and became the NBA's Most Valuable Player in the 2024-25 season. The NBA will officially announce Gilgers Alexander as the MVP of the season on TNT TV before Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Wednesday night.

Gilgers Alexander became the third player in the Thunder history to win the league MVP because he received more votes than Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic and Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo. He is one of the only two MVPs in the Thunder history along with Kevin Durant (2013-14) and Russell Westbrook (2016-17).

The most fascinating history about Gilgers Alexander's MVP award is that since he moved from Seattle to Oklahoma City before the 2008-09 season and changed his name, the Thunder have an MVP winner every year.

Gilgers Alexander is the first guard to win the NBA MVP award since James Harden in 2017-18.

The 26-year-old defender has played one of the best seasons in the NBA's offense and defense players in recent years. In addition to leading the league's scoring list with an average of 32.7 points per game, Shay also ranks second in the league in total steals (131). Gilgers Alexander and Antetokounmpo are the only two players in the league to average at least 30 points, 6 assists and 5 rebounds per game.

The Thunder defender has played 76 games this season. He leads the league with 20+ games in 75 games, 30+ games, 13 games, 40+ games and 4 games, 50+ games. Stephen Curry and Jokic are the only two players this season who have scored at least 50 points in two games. Gilgers Alexander also leads the league in shooting percentage (860), free throw percentage (601) and win contribution (16.1).

Led by Gilgers Alexander, the Thunder ended the regular season of the 2024-25 season with a record of 68 wins and 14 losses, becoming the seventh team in league history to achieve at least 68 wins in a single season. This season, the Oklahoma City Thunder averaged 12.9 points per game, surpassing the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1971-72 season and becoming the team with the highest net score in NBA history.

Despite being the youngest team in the league, the Thunder still finished No. 1 in the Western Conference for the second straight season and is currently competing with the Minnesota Timberwolves for a spot in the Western Conference Finals.

Shay Gilgers-Alexander created Nikola Jokic's historical season

There is no doubt that Gilgers-Alexander's historic season with the Thunder should end with his winning of the NBA Most Valuable Player Award. He is the best offensive player in the league this season and led the Oklahoma City Thunder to his best record in team history.

At the same time, Jokic's historic season cannot be ignored, which is also the reason why this MVP competition is so fierce.

Jokic averaged 29.6 points, 12.7 rebounds and 10.2 assists in 70 games this season, becoming the third player in NBA history to average a triple-double in a single season. He was one of the only two players to achieve this, along with Oscar Robertson (1961-62) and Russell Westbrook (four times).

In addition to scoring a triple-double and leading the Denver Nuggets to fourth in the Western Conference, Jokic also created the most historic personal performance in NBA history in the 2024-25 season.

In the game against the Phoenix Suns 149-14 overtime in March, Jokic became the first player to score 30+20+20 in a single game, scoring 31 points, 22 assists and 21 rebounds. This hasn't even been achieved in Wilt Chamberlain's brilliant career.

Jokic has made more history this season, scoring 35 points, 22 rebounds and 17 assists in a 132-123 victory over the Sacramento Kings in January. After Wilt (1968), he became the only player in league history to score 35+20+15 in a single game.

No matter what you think, the three-time MVP winner has played the best season of his NBA career. Although Jokic ultimately failed to beat Gilgers Alexander, he is still recognized as the best basketball player in the world.

Gilgers Alexander and Jokic are both strong contenders for the 2024-25 NBA MVP. In the end, the Thunder defender will win the MVP trophy this season.