Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been named the 2025-26 NBA MVP, according to ESPN. The award marks his second consecutive MVP, making him the 14th player in NBA history to achieve the feat. He joins Nikola Jokic (2020-22) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (2019-20) as recent back-to-back winners.
Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder to the NBA championship last season and secured the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference playoffs in 2025-26. He averaged 31.1 points, 6.6 assists, and 4.3 rebounds over 68 games and was also named Clutch Player of the Year.
Finalists included Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic, who averaged a triple-double for the second straight season (27.7 points, 12.9 rebounds, 10.7 assists), and San Antonio Spurs phenom Victor Wembanyama, who bounced back from a blood clot to average 25 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 3.1 blocks.
Gilgeous-Alexander and Wembanyama now face off in what is expected to be a highly competitive Western Conference Finals.