The Oklahoma City Thunder are the best team in the Western Conference. Following their big road win over the Boston Celtics, the Thunder currently sit at 54-12 and are on pace for their best regular-season record if they maintain this level of play over their final 16 games.
The biggest reason for their success has been their star player, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The Thunder guard is having the best season of his career and currently leads the NBA in scoring at 32.7 points per game. Since entering the league, Gilgeous-Alexander has steadily built his reputation, and everything is now coming full circle.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s Contract, Salary, and Net Worth
Gilgeous-Alexander was acquired by the Thunder during the 2019 offseason in a trade with the Los Angeles Clippers, where he played his rookie season. Since then, he has become a two-time All-Star and a two-time All-NBA First Team selection.
Gilgeous-Alexander’s current contract with the Thunder is a five-year, $179.3 million deal that could see him become a free agent in the 2027-28 offseason. However, with the Thunder clearly building around him as their franchise cornerstone, it’s unlikely he will leave.
This season, Gilgeous-Alexander is earning $35.86 million, with his salary set to increase to $38.33 million next season. Considering his elite play as a perennial MVP candidate, the Thunder are getting incredible value on one of the league’s best players.
His net worth is currently estimated at $50 million, a figure that will undoubtedly rise in the coming years. In addition to his lucrative NBA contract, Gilgeous-Alexander secured a major endorsement deal with Converse. In April 2024, he signed a multiyear extension with the brand and took on the role of Creative Director for its basketball division.
Oklahoma City Thunder MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has agreed on a new lucrative, multiyear contract extension with Converse – with his first signature shoe releasing in 2025 and title of Creative Director of Converse Basketball. pic.twitter.com/HrjX6MqiBN
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 18, 2024
With a max contract, a major endorsement deal, and the best team in the Western Conference, Gilgeous-Alexander is poised to win his first scoring title. Could an MVP award be next?
Will Gilgeous-Alexander Be Named NBA MVP This Season?
With the Thunder dominating the standings and Gilgeous-Alexander performing at an elite level, many consider him to be the frontrunner for NBA MVP. His two-way excellence earned him a starting spot in this season’s All-Star Game.
Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 32.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game while shooting 52.5% from the field—the best numbers of his career and one of the best statistical seasons in Thunder history.
While Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook both have strong claims for the best individual season in Thunder history, Gilgeous-Alexander is leading Oklahoma City toward a rare 65-win season. The last NBA team to win 65 or more games in a season was the 2017-18 Houston Rockets, led by James Harden and Chris Paul.
The 2023-24 Boston Celtics came close, finishing 64-18, but Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder have a chance to etch their names in history. Can they pull off a record-setting season? Will Gilgeous-Alexander be crowned MVP? Time will tell.