SGA goes back-to-back and enters NBA immortality

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has officially been crowned the NBA's Most Valuable Player for the 2025-26 season, according to ESPN, becoming a back-to-back winner after delivering one of the most efficient offensive campaigns the league has ever seen.

While his scoring average slightly dipped from 32.7 to 31.1 points per game, the Oklahoma City star elevated nearly every other aspect of his offensive game. Gilgeous-Alexander finished the season shooting an elite 55.3 per cent from the field, 38.6 per cent from three-point range and 87.9 per cent from the free-throw line - numbers matched only by Kevin Durant among players with at least 250 shot attempts from every area.

The difference? Gilgeous-Alexander sustained that level over 68 games, while also recording fewer turnovers and nearly double the assists compared to Durant's comparable 2022-23 stretch.

Despite ranking second in the NBA in scoring behind Luka Doncic, the Thunder superstar achieved his production with surprisingly limited touches. Averaging just 66.6 touches per game, only 42nd-most in the league, he essentially scored once for every two times he handled the ball.

Most importantly, he was the driving force behind the NBA's best regular-season record. The Oklahoma City Thunder finished with 64 wins despite battling injuries throughout the roster. Jalen Williams played much of the year at less than full strength, while several key contributors, including Alex Caruso, Isaiah Hartenstein and Ajay Mitchell, missed significant time.

Although Gilgeous-Alexander spent most of the season as the favourite, the MVP race remained fiercely competitive. Nikola Jokic mounted an early challenge with another sensational offensive season before injuries slowed his momentum. Later in the year, players such as Cade Cunningham, Jaylen Brown, Victor Wembanyama and Doncic all entered the conversation at various points.

In the end, however, no one could match Gilgeous-Alexander's consistency, efficiency and impact on winning.

By claiming his second consecutive MVP trophy, Gilgeous-Alexander has now entered truly legendary territory. He becomes just the 16th player in NBA history to win multiple MVP awards, joining Stephen Curry, LeBron James, Michael Jordan and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar among basketball's most exclusive company.