The Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder have turned heads with their unbelievable play this season, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been on the coronary heart of all of it. Their sturdy efficiency within the NBA Cup has given SGA an early probability to make noise within the Most Beneficial Participant dialog.
This early Cup success may assist increase his case because the season progresses.
Oklahoma Metropolis dominated the group stage and carried that vitality into the NBA Cup quarterfinals, the place they rolled previous the Phoenix Suns by a large margin. In that blowout, Gilgeous-Alexander scored effectively and took management at key moments, displaying why voters put him close to the highest of MVP rankings earlier than the Cup started.
Historic Numbers Gasoline MVP Discuss
SGA’s resume already includes a historic set of achievements from final season. In 2024–25, he gained the NBA MVP award, led the league in scoring, and adopted that up with a NBA Finals MVP whereas guiding the Thunder to their first championship in franchise historical past.
His 2025 MVP season noticed him common 32.7 factors, 6.4 assists, and 5.0 rebounds per sport, and he grew to become the third Thunder participant to win the league’s prime particular person honor after Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook.
That pedigree provides Gilgeous-Alexander a robust basis for 2025–26 MVP chatter. NBA voters typically take into account sustained excellence over a number of seasons, and his observe document exhibits he can carry that load.
NBA Cup Stage Affords Early Showcase
The NBA Cup gives a public stage for stars to shine in significant video games earlier than midseason. Gilgeous-Alexander’s efficiency in Cup play illustrates his capability to impression huge video games. He already sits excessive in award trackers because of constant scoring and management on a group that has matched probably the greatest 25-game begins in NBA historical past — tying a 24–1 mark set by the 2015–16 Golden State Warriors.
Though the Cup is an in-season occasion, voters and analysts watch how stars carry out beneath match strain. Large performances right here can sway public notion and improve poll help later within the season.
Crew Success Retains Highlight on Him
What boosts Gilgeous-Alexander’s MVP credentials most is his group’s success. Oklahoma Metropolis’s 24–1 document and top-tier play have put them in elite firm early. Groups with the perfect information sometimes get extra MVP consideration than these with middling success.
Being a frontrunner on one of many league’s greatest groups places SGA in uncommon air. If he continues at this degree, his Cup performances may grow to be memorable milestones in one other MVP chase. Because the common season heats up, Oklahoma Metropolis’s star will likely be laborious to disregard in conversations concerning the league’s most useful participant.
