The Oklahoma City Thunder achieved a historic milestone by winning their first championship since relocating, securing a 103-91 victory in the decisive Game 7 of the NBA Finals on Sunday. This win also marked a defining moment for their star guard, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. He culminated an exceptional individual season with a standout performance in the final game, scoring 29 points and providing 12 assists, becoming only the fifth player ever to achieve a 20-point, 10-assist game in a Game 7 of the Finals.
During the 2024-25 season, Gilgeous-Alexander swept major honors, winning the scoring title, the MVP award, and the championship, while leading his team to an all-time best point differential. His remarkable year could soon be capped by a contract extension, potentially making him the highest-paid player annually in sports history with a four-year, $293.4 million deal.
| Player | Age Accomplished |
|---|---|
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 23 |
| Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | 26 |
| LeBron James | 27 |
| Michael Jordan | 27 |
| Shaquille O`Neal | 27 |
| Kevin Durant | 28 |
| Kobe Bryant | 30 |
| Stephen Curry | 33 |
| Wilt Chamberlain | 35 |
At just 26, Gilgeous-Alexander is quickly ascending the ranks of basketball`s all-time greats. Alongside Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, he is one of only two players in NBA history to have won the MVP, Finals MVP, and scoring title by the age of 26. (Bob Pettit also achieved this combination, but the Finals MVP award was not introduced until after his championship win with the St. Louis Hawks in 1958). Following this historic achievement and the Thunder`s championship triumph, it`s timely to examine Gilgeous-Alexander`s surprising rise, burgeoning legacy, and comparisons to legendary players.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander`s Path to Championship Glory
Gilgeous-Alexander`s path to this level of NBA success was unexpected. He was ranked only 30th among high school recruits, trailing many who never reached the NBA. In his sole college season, he wasn`t even his team`s leading freshman scorer, finishing behind Kevin Knox II.
Drafted 11th overall, Gilgeous-Alexander was traded twice early in his career: first on draft night from Charlotte to the Clippers, and then the following summer as a key piece in the Paul George trade to Oklahoma City. Despite a promising rookie year, he only made the All-Rookie second team, while Marvin Bagley III secured a first-team spot.
While not the most unlikely MVP and champion (Nikola Jokic, a second-round pick, and Giannis Antetokounmpo, who started playing basketball late, might hold that distinction), Gilgeous-Alexander`s rise significantly exceeded initial expectations. To illustrate how much Gilgeous-Alexander has exceeded forecasts, consider his pre-draft comparisons by ESPN in 2018: Shaun Livingston and Patrick McCaw. Neither of these players ever averaged double-digit points in their careers, though both had recently won championships with the Warriors.
Just seven years on, Gilgeous-Alexander`s accomplishments already guarantee his future induction into the Hall of Fame, even if he retired today. Derrick Rose is the only retired MVP not in the Hall, and SGA`s resume far surpasses Rose`s, who didn`t make another All-NBA team after his 2011 MVP season.
More impressively, Gilgeous-Alexander`s standing against NBA legends is notable. Compared to guards on the NBA`s 75th Anniversary Team, he already matches the three First-Team All-NBA selections of Isiah Thomas, Steve Nash, Allen Iverson, and Tiny Archibald. He has more such selections than many prominent guards including Lenny Wilkens, Russell Westbrook, Dwyane Wade, John Stockton, Gary Payton, and others.
This means Gilgeous-Alexander is not just a definite Hall of Famer, but arguably ranks among the top 50 players historically, depending on how one weighs peak performance against career longevity and total statistics. At 26, his cumulative stats don`t yet equal many of the older legends mentioned.
Nevertheless, with MVP finishes of first, second, and fifth, Gilgeous-Alexander is already 35th in career MVP award shares (a metric based on the percentage of possible votes received). Another solid season would likely place him in the top 30, and two more strong campaigns could propel him into the top 20 all-time in MVP shares.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander`s Exceptional Scoring Prowess
While a versatile player who led the league in steals last season, Gilgeous-Alexander`s primary strength is scoring. He is now one of just 15 players in NBA history to average at least 30 points in three different seasons. He combines this high-volume scoring with elite efficiency, mastering the midrange, finishing effectively around the basket, and consistently making free throws at nearly 90%. Only Gilgeous-Alexander and Adrian Dantley have achieved three or more seasons averaging 30+ points with a true shooting percentage of 62% or higher.
Acknowledging that overall scoring efficiency is higher in the current NBA era, Gilgeous-Alexander has capitalized on this context to become one of the most efficient high-volume scorers the league has seen.
Gilgeous-Alexander demonstrates excellence in key modern NBA offensive actions. Over the last three seasons (per GeniusIQ), among 128 players with 300+ isolations, he ranks second in points per isolation. He`s also fourth among 100 players with 1500+ screens as the ball handler in points per pick-and-roll possession (behind Tyrese Haliburton, who leads both categories). Furthermore, he is the league`s top driver, leading this category every season over the past five years and accumulating over 1,000 more drives than Luka Doncic, who ranks second.
| Player | Season | PPG |
|---|---|---|
| Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | 2024-25 | 32.7 |
| Michael Jordan | 1992-93 | 32.6 |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 1970-71 | 31.7 |
| Michael Jordan | 1990-91 | 31.5 |
| Rick Barry | 1974-75 | 30.6 |
| Michael Jordan | 1995-96 | 30.4 |
| Michael Jordan | 1991-92 | 30.1 |
High scoring averages don`t always translate directly to playoff success; Michael Jordan notably didn`t win titles in his three highest-scoring seasons. However, Gilgeous-Alexander has successfully paired his individual scoring prowess with ultimate team success. Since the shot clock era began, only SGA, Jordan (six times), Shaquille O`Neal, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar have won both the scoring title and the NBA championship in the same season.
Gilgeous-Alexander holds the distinction of having the highest scoring average (32.7 PPG in 2024-25) for a player who won the championship that season, narrowly surpassing Michael Jordan`s 32.6 PPG in 1992-93.
He also slightly exceeds Jordan`s usage rate for a champion, posting 34.8% compared to Jordan`s 34.7% in 1992-93.
| Stat | MJ (1991-93) | SGA (2023-25) |
|---|---|---|
| Age | 27-29 | 24-26 |
| Points | 31.4 | 31.4 |
| Assists | 5.7 | 6.0 |
| Rebounds | 6.4 | 5.1 |
| Turnovers | 2.5 | 2.5 |
| Usage | 33.1% | 33.5% |
| True Shooting | 58.2% | 63.3% |
| TS vs. NBA Avg. | +9% | +9% |
| PER | 29.7 | 29.1 |
| MVP finishes | 1st, 1st, 3rd | 1st, 2nd, 5th |
Given the frequent comparisons to Michael Jordan in these historical lists, here is a comparison, perhaps surprisingly, pitting Gilgeous-Alexander`s last three seasons against Jordan`s span from 1991 to 1993, widely considered among the most successful three-year periods for a guard.
Admittedly, Jordan secured three championships during his comparable period to Gilgeous-Alexander`s one, and he was a superior defender, earning All-Defensive First Team honors in each of those seasons. However, offensively, their statistics show a remarkable similarity, including identical points-per-game figures and the same efficiency relative to the league average.
Shaping SGA`s Future Legacy
While Oklahoma City is rightly celebrated for its impressive team building, including smart trades, finding undrafted talent, and securing key extensions, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander`s crucial role sometimes seems less emphasized.
Consider, however, a hypothetical scenario where the Thunder made the same Paul George trade but without including Gilgeous-Alexander. A team centered around Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren, and numerous draft picks would still possess potential. But would this alternative version of the Thunder amount to anything more than a Western Conference counterpart to a team like the Orlando Magic, with Williams and Holmgren as promising young players akin to Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner?
They certainly wouldn`t have become NBA champions with the best regular-season point differential in league history. While depth and young talent are valuable, ultimately, winning a title requires an MVP-caliber superstar, which is the critical advantage Gilgeous-Alexander provides.
His presence is the primary factor behind their rapid transformation from a rebuilding team to one lifting the Larry O`Brien Trophy.
Crucially, the existing depth and youth, coupled with the rapid improvement of teammates like Williams and Holmgren, are vital for enhancing Gilgeous-Alexander`s legacy. This relationship is mutually beneficial: for SGA to climb higher among the NBA`s all-time greats, he will undoubtedly need more championships. This is challenging in the modern NBA, which has seen seven different champions in as many years. Yet, Oklahoma City is arguably the team best positioned since the mid-2010s Golden State Warriors to build a sustained dynasty upon their first title.
Recent years have spoiled NBA fans with the presence of multiple all-time greats like Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, LeBron James, and Stephen Curry, who have won multiple MVP awards and championships. It is still too early to definitively place Gilgeous-Alexander on their historical tier.
However, considering his young age, the significant achievements he has already attained, and the strong potential for continued team success, reaching that historical pedestal is a very real possibility for him.