Hamilton’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player for the 2024-2025 season, becoming only the second Canadian in history to win the league’s top individual honor after Steve Nash. The Oklahoma City Thunder star earned the award with 71 first-place votes, edging out Denver’s Nikola Jokic in what became a tight two-man race. Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo finished third in voting.
Gilgeous-Alexander, 25, had a season to remember. He led the league in scoring with an average of 32.7 points per game, while adding 6.4 assists and five rebounds per game. More importantly, he anchored the Thunder to a league-best 68-14 record, as the team set an NBA record by outscoring opponents by an average of 12.9 points per game. The Thunder’s success and his all-around dominance made a compelling case for MVP honors.
Speaking to TNT after the announcement, Gilgeous-Alexander said, “You try so hard throughout the season to not think about it and just focus on getting better and winning games. But as a competitor and as a kid dreaming about the game, it’s always in the back of your mind.”
This year’s MVP win extends the league’s streak of internationally born players taking home the award to seven consecutive seasons. Jokic, who averaged a remarkable triple-double—29.6 points, 12.7 rebounds, and 10.2 assists—finished second. Antetokounmpo, who averaged 30.4 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 6.5 assists, rounded out the top three. Jokic praised Gilgeous-Alexander earlier this week after the Thunder eliminated the Nuggets from the playoffs, calling him “a special player” with elite shot-making skills.
Other top MVP vote-getters included Boston’s Jayson Tatum (4th), Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell (5th), and LeBron James (6th), who earned MVP votes for the 20th time in his 22-year career.
The MVP award was determined by a global panel of 100 media members who submitted their ballots just before the playoffs. This season’s other major awards include Cleveland’s Kenny Atkinson (Coach of the Year), San Antonio’s Stephon Castle (Rookie of the Year), and New York’s Jalen Brunson (Clutch Player of the Year).
As Canada celebrates one of its own reaching basketball’s pinnacle, Gilgeous-Alexander’s historic season stands as a defining moment not only for him but for the future of Canadian basketball.
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