“If you work hard, have the right mindset, and good intentions, things fall into place,” Shai Gilgeous-Alexander once confidently said. He has been backing his words with performances that’ve completely flipped the script for Oklahoma City’s 2024-25 NBA season journey. This season already brought Shai the NBA’s highest individual honor, solidifying his status as one of the league’s best young stars. Now, he’s just four wins away from grabbing the championship trophy and completing one of basketball’s best underdog stories ever. The stage is set, and the spotlight’s waiting.

To make that dream real, OKC must survive the battle against the Eastern Conference champion Indiana Pacers starting Thursday night. Now it’s time for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to deliver the final cut. Can Shai actually pull this off and make history that’s been untouched for nearly a whole decade? He’s already grabbed the NBA MVP crown for 2024-25, with a league-leading 32.7 points per game throughout the regular season. But claiming Finals MVP is a whole different challenge. But has anyone done it yet?

The last player to snatch both awards in one season was LeBron James back in the 2012-13 campaign. So, before we plunge into Shai’s Finals MVP chances, let’s take a detour and quickly break down the tough odds standing directly in front of him.

Why do most NBA MVPs fail to win the championship in the same season?

It’s been over a decade since a regular-season MVP also won the NBA title in the same season. The last was Steph Curry in the 2014-15 season. Since then, a strange pattern has emerged, where league MVPs consistently fall short in the postseason. Look at Nikola Jokic in 2022.

Despite averaging an astonishing 27.1 points and 13.8 rebounds, his Nuggets were bounced by the Warriors in the first round. And he is not alone in this misery. James Harden faced a similar fate in 2018. He bagged the MVP after a sensational season with averaging 30.4 points per game. But again, he and his Rockets also collapsed in the Western Conference Finals against Golden State. Then there’s Russell Westbrook in 2017.

He averaged 31.6 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 10.4 assists in 81 games in 2016-17. Despite his heart and soul trying, his unforgettable triple-double season was cut short by a first-round playoff exit. You see, fans have grown pretty frustrated with this trend. For years, they have been seeing the league’s top player during the regular season, failing to deliver when it matters most.

And not surprisingly, there’s no single reason behind this drought. Injuries have played a prominent part in this. Because MVPs often are the ones who carry heavy loads throughout exhausting regular seasons. And as the season comes to an end, the playoffs bring tougher opponents. It also brings higher stakes and laser-focused game plans designed just to exploit weaknesses. 

James Harden’s 2018 Rockets surely fell victim to this strategy when they ran into the Warriors’ dynasty in the Conference Finals. Despite Harden’s MVP brilliance, Houston couldn’t survive Chris Paul’s injury and Golden State’s relentless firepower.

A lack of a dependable supporting cast has sunk several MVP hopefuls, too. For a recent example is Jokic. Nikola Jokic in 2022 dominated statistically but faced Golden State without his co-stars Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr., and unsurprisingly, Denver also faced the same fate as the Rockets.

Well, the list of regular season MVPs is still common; what’s unique is that those names couldn’t land that final punch to get their hands on the championship. But here, Shai has the chance to flip the script. Because if there are unlucky players like Nikola and James Harden, there are also those who made this impossible, possible. So, before we crown or count out Shai, let’s take a look at those legendary players who have taken this impossible-looking challenge and come out with flying colors.

How many players have won MVP, NBA championship, and Finals MVP in one season?

You see, so far, only 14 legends have earned regular season MVP and a championship together in the very same impressive year. But here’s where it gets even crazier. Just 10 of those players grabbed the NBA Finals MVP to complete basketball’s trifecta.

Now, let’s check out the names of those rare, absolute icons who conquered this elite challenge and cemented their place in history for good:

• Willis Reed (1969-70)
• Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1970-71)
• Moses Malone (1982-83)
• Larry Bird (1983-84, 1985-86)
• Magic Johnson (1986-87)
• Michael Jordan (1990-91, 1991-92, 1995-96, 1997-98)
• Hakeem Olajuwon (1993-94)
• Shaquille O’Neal (1999-00)
• Tim Duncan (2002-03)
• LeBron James (2011-12, 2012-13)

You see, this astonishing accomplishment is something that is often considered the ultimate flex in basketball. A regular season MVP, an NBA final MVP, and on top of that, bringing that championship trophy for your franchise. In every sense, it can be considered as basketball royalty, combining personal greatness and team leadership under the brightest possible pressure-packed spotlight. That’s why fans and analysts immediately compare anyone who gets this close, like Shai, to the legendary names on that elite list.

Can Shai Gilgeous-Alexander join the exclusive list of dual MVP champions?

Now that we’ve laid out everything on the table, one final question is hanging in the air for Thunder fans and analysts. Can Shai Gilgeous-Alexander actually join that ridiculously exclusive list of legends who claimed both MVP honors in a single dominant season?

Now, the Thunder point guard has his squad sitting just one step away from their first championship since moving to Oklahoma City from Seattle. Mind you, this would also be the franchise’s first title under their new name and second since the Seattle SuperSonics’ championship run way back in the 1978-79 season. As for Shai, he has already bagged the 2024-25 NBA MVP and is currently leading the league with a fiery 32.7 points per game across the regular season.

Don’t forget that he powered OKC to an NBA-best and franchise-best 68-14 regular season record. He is carrying the team on his shoulders. And we certainly had the privilege to witness his greatness on the court a few times. He was on fire during the intense Game 4 in Minnesota, exploding for 40 points and 10 assists in a comeback thriller. He came painfully close to a triple-double that night, missing out just by 1 assist.

Then, Shai sealed the series at home with a cool 34 points, eight assists, seven rebounds, and two steals on 56% shooting for good. So yeah, we can undoubtedly say that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander fully in his prime right now. And if this continues in the finals, then we must say that the historic MVP double looks entirely possible.