From Lexington to Legendary: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Becomes First Former Wildcat to Win NBA MVP
History has been made.
On a night when the basketball world turned its eyes to the hardwood in Oklahoma City, former Kentucky star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was officially named the 2024-25 NBA Most Valuable Player, becoming the first former Wildcat in history to earn the league’s highest individual honor.
The announcement, first reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania and confirmed by the NBA, arrives just hours before tip-off of Game 1 in the Western Conference Finals a game in which SGA put an emphatic stamp on his MVP campaign by scoring a team-high 31 points, along with 9 assists, 5 rebounds, and 3 steals, leading the Thunder to a 114-88 blowout win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
If there were any doubts about his status as the best player in the world, Shai erased them all and now, he has the trophy to prove it.
A Season for the Ages
At just 26 years old, Gilgeous-Alexander’s 2024-25 season was nothing short of historic:
- Led the NBA in scoring, averaging 32.7 points per game.
- Scored 20+ points in 72 straight games, and led the league in 20-point (75), 30-point (49), 40-point (13), and 50-point (4) performances.
- Added 6.4 assists, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.7 steals per contest.
- Played in 76 games, leading the Thunder to 63 wins and the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference.
In the playoffs, he hasn’t slowed down. SGA averaged 27.8 points in a four-game sweep of Memphis, then dropped 29.7 points per game in a grueling seven-game battle with Denver to earn a spot in the Western Conference Finals. Now, with seven wins standing between him and a championship, Shai’s mission isn’t finished it’s just getting started.
A Wildcat Makes NBA History
Shai’s MVP honor is more than just personal it’s a moment of pride for the Kentucky basketball program. In a school known for producing elite NBA talent, none had ever hoisted the league’s MVP trophy. Not Anthony Davis. Not John Wall. Not DeMarcus Cousins or Devin Booker.
Until now.
From the moment he stepped on campus in Lexington during the 2017-18 season, SGA showed the poise, work ethic, and leadership that would eventually make him a superstar. A one-and-done freshman, he averaged 14.4 points, 5.1 assists, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.6 steals, earning All-SEC Second Team and Freshman Team honors. But it wasn’t the stats that stood out it was the calm confidence and fierce competitiveness that made John Calipari trust him with the ball in March.
Now, he’s the face of a franchise, a role model to young hoopers, and an icon in Big Blue Nation history.
A Billion-Dollar Career Incoming?
As if MVP status wasn’t enough, Gilgeous-Alexander just qualified for a four-year, $294 million supermax extension the richest deal in NBA history in terms of annual value at $73.3 million per year. The Thunder, who also saw Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook win MVPs before him, have made it clear: SGA is their cornerstone, and he’s only getting started.
The Legacy Grows
With MVP honors in hand and a championship chase underway, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is writing a storybook chapter in both Oklahoma City Thunder and Kentucky basketball lore.
He’s not just a Wildcat anymore.
He’s not just a star.
He’s the best player in the NBA.
And for Big Blue Nation, that means only one thing:
Kentucky breeds greatness and Shai is the proof.
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