Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is having the season of his life and he’s not celebrating it alone. The Oklahoma City Thunder star is in the middle of a dream run, crowned the NBA’s Most Valuable Player for the 2024-25 season and leading his team on a championship chase. But it’s what he did after winning the MVP that has the internet talking.
When Shai Gilgeous-Alexander wins, he makes sure his team feels it too. And this time, he showed his appreciation with something far from ordinary – luxury watches worth $16,999 each.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s Glitzy Thanks to His Thunder Teammates
After officially being named MVP, Gilgeous-Alexander gifted each of his Thunder teammates a Rolex. In a now-viral clip, the players are seen flashing their wrists in unison, proudly showing off their new Rollies.
Overtime posted the video on X with a caption that summed it up best:
“SGA GOT THE WHOLE TEAM ROLLIES.”
SGA GOT THE WHOLE TEAM ROLLIES 😮💨 @Jay_MWilliams_ @shaiglalex pic.twitter.com/4NMQIMk0a1
— Overtime (@overtime)
During his MVP speech, Gilgeous-Alexander explained why he gifted watches to his teammates:
“So the watches… I think it was last season. We were just on the bus being silly like we always are, and I can’t remember who it was — actually, of course it was J-Will. He was like, ‘Two, what are you gonna get us when you win MVP?’ And it’s a crazy question to ask, but I don’t know what brought it up — watches were in the conversation. A lot of guys on the team like watches. Who doesn’t like watches?
“And then I said yes — which was silly on my part. But as I got closer to achieving the goal, I was like, ‘Wait a second, I actually have to do what I said I was going to do.’ So I made it happen.”
It’s a move that says a lot more than just “thank you.” SGA knows he didn’t get here alone. Behind every MVP is a team that hustles, supports, and fights through the grind of an 82-game season. And with the Thunder currently up 1-0 in the Western Conference Finals against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the gift feels like a bonding moment ahead of their biggest test yet.
At just 26, Gilgeous-Alexander became only the second Canadian to win the league’s top honor, joining Steve Nash. But this season wasn’t just MVP-worthy – it was historic.
He led the entire league in nearly every major scoring category, logging 75 games with at least 20 points, 49 with 30, and 13 with 40. Oh, and he even dropped 50 points four times. That’s something no one has done since James Harden back in 2018-19.
SGA wasn’t just putting up numbers – he was dragging defenders, clutching wins, and rewriting record books. Gilgeous-Alexander shot nearly 52% from the field, averaged 32.7 points, 6.4 assists, five rebounds, and nearly two steals a game. And he never took a night off – he scored 20+ points in each of his final 72 games, the longest streak in 60 years.
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In the playoffs, he’s been just as sensational, stashing 29.2 points, 6.6 assists, 5.8 boards per game, with seven 30-point nights already.
The Thunder, with their league-best 68-14 record, are closing in on their first NBA title since 1979. And in the middle of it all, the quiet Canadian who once slipped under the radar is now the heartbeat of OKC, and one of the most respected players in the game.
