Oklahoma City Thunder superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has officially been named the Kia NBA Most Valuable Player for the second consecutive year. The announcement cements the Canadian guard's status at the very top of the basketball world, making him the 18th player in league history to win multiple MVP awards and just the 14th to do so in back-to-back seasons.
The victory caps off an incredible regular season for the reigning NBA champion, who also took home the league’s Clutch Player of the Year award after securing 96 out of 100 first-place votes. Gilgeous-Alexander finished second in the NBA in scoring, averaging 31.1 points per game while extending his historic streak of consecutive 20-point games to 140, News.Az reports, citing NBA.
SGA's victory continues an unprecedented era of international dominance in professional basketball, marking the eighth consecutive year that the MVP trophy has gone to a player born outside the United States. Furthermore, international stars locked out the top three spots in voting for the fifth straight season, with Denver's Nikola Jokic and San Antonio's French phenom Victor Wembanyama finishing as the other two finalists.
Jokic's second-place finish comes despite a historic individual campaign where he became just the third player in NBA history to average a triple-double over an entire season, putting up 27.7 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 10.7 assists per game.
Known for his calm demeanor and mid-range mastery, Gilgeous-Alexander credits his success to keeping his composure under pressure. "Emotions only get in the way of critical and smart thinking," the Thunder star noted.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver is expected to formally present the MVP trophy on Monday night in Oklahoma City, right before SGA and the Thunder tip off Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals against Wembanyama and the Spurs.
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