This season’s NBA MVP Award had even more worthy candidates than usual. The three finalists included Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo and Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokić. Antetokounmpo has won the award twice, winning for his performances in the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons, while Jokić won in the 2020-21, 2021-22, and 2023-24 seasons, totaling three MVP awards.
However, this season, Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander took home the award, winning for the first time in his career.
Gilgeous-Alexander led the league in scoring with 32.7 points per game on 51.9% shooting from the field, 37.5% from beyond the arc and 89.8% from the free throw line. He averaged 6.4 assists and 5.0 rebounds as well as 1.7 steals and 1.0 blocks per game.
Obviously, Gilgeous-Alexander was a very deserving winner. Although the MVP is considered an individual award, Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder to a 68-14 record, the best in the league, and his Thunder just ousted Jokić’s Nuggets in seven games in the Western Conference semifinals.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Lets His Emotions Out
Gilgeous-Alexander was officially announced the winner on Wednesday night, and he became very emotional when thanking his wife, “the one and only Hailey Summers,” during his acceptance speech.
“Sorry, I’m so dramatic,” he said. “Hailey Summers, thank you for everything you are for me, for our son, Ares. You were the first person to show me what love really meant.”
Gilgeous-Alexander became very choked up but kept going.
“What love really meant, what sacrifice really meant,” he continued. “And I can’t wait to spend the rest of this journey called life with you, so thank you for everything.”
“I wouldn’t be the man I am, I wouldn’t be the player I am, I wouldn’t be the father I am without you, so thank you for that.”
"Sorry I'm so dramatic. … You were the first person to show me what love really meant."
An emotional Shai Gilgeous-Alexander thanking his wife during his MVP speech 🥹pic.twitter.com/ZptptCq2bc
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints)
It was a very touching moment from Gilgeous-Alexander, who married Summers on Valentine’s Day in 2024. Of course, that isn’t much of a surprise. Gilgeous-Alexander has become known as a family man, often sharing moments with his son, who recently turned one. They could even be seen sharing the court after the Thunder defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves in game 1 of the Western Conference finals on Tuesday night.
Gilgeous-Alexander became the third Thunder player to win the MVP award, joining current Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant, who won in 2014, and current Nuggets guard Russell Westbrook, who took home the award in 2017.
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There will likely be even more comparisons to Durant, not just for each players scoring prowess but now due to their emotional speeches. Durant gave one of the most memorable speeches of all time when he won the award and told his mother “You the real MVP.”
Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder will take on the Timberwolves in Game 2 on Thursday night at 8:30 pm EST.
