Canadian Gilgeous-Alexander named NBA MVP, edging out Jokic

Canadian Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, star of the Oklahoma City Thunder, received his first NBA regular-season Most Valuable Player (MVP) award Wednesday, beating out favorite Serbian Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets.

Gilgeous-Alexander, 26, was the top scorer of the regular season, averaging 32.7 points per game, and led the young Thunder to the best record in the league with 68 wins and 14 losses.

The point guard received a total of 913 points from a voting panel of roughly 100 media members.

Second place went to Jokic, who received 787 points, while third place went to Greece's Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks, with 470 points.

No American-born player has received this honor since James Harden in 2018.

Jokic, who had a historic season averaging 29.6 points, 12.7 rebounds, and 10.2 assists, was aiming for a fourth MVP award that would have tied him with LeBron James and the legendary Wilt Chamberlain.

His astonishing average of a triple-double per game—an achievement never before reached by a center—was not enough to surpass the unstoppable rise of Gilgeous-Alexander, who finished second to Jokic last year.

"I used my second place finish last year as motivation. This year I wanted to change the course of history, and I did a good job," the point guard told TNT after the announcement.

Gilgeous-Alexander, the second Canadian to win the award after Steve Nash (2005 and 2006), was quick to thank his teammates for their support but acknowledged that this individual achievement was one of his major goals in the NBA.

"You work so hard throughout the season to not think about it and just worry about playing basketball, getting better and trying to win games," he said. "But as a competitor, as a kid dreaming about the game, it's always in the back of your mind and I'm very thankful to be on this side of the ballot."

In the footsteps of Durant and Westbrook

This year, the NBA delayed announcing the award winner until after the Western Conference semifinals between Jokic's Nuggets and Gilgeous-Alexander's Thunder concluded.

The point guard, also known by his initials "SGA," emerged victorious in the duel, leading Oklahoma City to its first conference finals since 2012, where they will face the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, leaders of the Thunder in 2012, are the only franchise stars to have previously received the MVP award.

In addition to his 32.7 points per game, Gilgeous-Alexander also averages 5 rebounds, 6.4 assists, and a strong defensive presence with 1.7 steals and 1 block per game.

Only Michael Jordan had previously averaged more than 32 points and 6 assists per game while maintaining over 50% shooting efficiency from the court.

In an NBA obsessed with outside shooting, SGA has risen to the top by perfecting the art of the drive and mid-range shot, while being an effective defender thanks to a height (6'6") that is unusual for his position.

Traded by Clippers

Born on July 12, 1998, in Hamilton, just outside Toronto, the point guard inherited his physical attributes from his mother, Charmaine Gilgeous, who competed in the 400-meter dash at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics representing the Caribbean island of Antigua and Barbuda.

The Canadian moved to the United States to complete his high school education and played one season at the prestigious University of Kentucky.

In 2018, he was selected 11th overall in the draft and played his rookie year with the Los Angeles Clippers. In 2019, he was part of the monumental trade that brought nine-time All-Star Paul George to the Clippers.

In hindsight, the trade proved to be a fiasco for the California franchise, which failed to compete for the title and missed out on a future MVP.

In Oklahoma City, SGA has been the cornerstone of the franchise's patient rebuild, and without the media spotlight on other young stars, his scoring average has remained above 30 points per game for the past three seasons.