Shai Gilgeous-Alexander just made NBA history! He was the first player to win a scoring title and NBA championship in the same season since Shaquille O’Neal accomplished the feat in 2000. The Oklahoma City Thunder star captured the league’s scoring title. He won the NBA Finals MVP award, entering legends such as Michael Jordan and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in winning this incredible accomplishment.
In a breakout season, Gilgeous-Alexander stormed the league on a tear, averaging an absurd 32.7 points per game in the regular season. He even topped Michael Jordan’s mythical 1992-93 scoring average by a tenth of a point. His unique skillset on the court became a rare glow that penetrated through the dark clouds of the playoffs. Oh yeah, he averaged 30.3 points in the NBA Finals. He showed amazing durability and consistency by racking up 20 or more points in 72 straight games. With this accomplishment, the Streak has now tied the fourth-longest streak in NBA history.
Gilgeous-Alexander’s impact extended beyond scoring. His on/off was a staggering +918, highest for a full season since Stephen Curry’s 2016-17 season. His cumulative 3,172 points in both the regular season and playoffs is staggering. This is an incredible accomplishment, being the most since the likes of Michael Jordan last accomplished such a feat in that era.
Now, without injury or freak occurrence, Gilgeous-Alexander has locked down his long-term future with the Thunder. He signed a $285 million four-year super maximum contract extension. This agreement marks the largest annual salary in league history and emphasizes clearly the franchise’s desire to secure the future of their franchise player. With the extension he signed with Oklahoma City, he’s now with the team through the 2030-31 season.
Gilgeous-Alexander’s Thunder journey began in the summer of 2019. He was brought over by way of the LA Clippers in the Paul George blockbuster trade. Since then, though, he’s emerged as perhaps the only consistent face of the franchise. He’s been hands-on, directly helping the team through an unprecedented roster overhaul and speedy rebuild. His two contract extensions since arriving in Oklahoma City reflect a strong partnership based on trust between him and the organization.
Despite his age of only 26 years, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has already accomplished numerous amazing achievements. He’s one of only a handful of players that can claim the unenviable triple crown of scoring champion, MVP, and NBA champion—all in the same season. His success has raised the bar for what greatness looks like in the league. Textbox 3 His play has helped entrench him as one of basketball’s best.
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