We have a new entrant on the list! Shai Gilgeous-Alexander didn’t just lead the Thunder but carried the dreams of a city, game by game, from the first tip of the season to the final seconds of Game 7. At 26, with no Finals experience, he rose through every challenge, turning every opportunity into moments and milestones. With an impressive, emotional, electric, and era-defining season, SGA has set a new order in the NBA’s growing hunt for a face. And now, with legends of the game taking notice, it’s clear: SGA isn’t just a rising star—he’s the heartbeat of a new generation in the NBA.

Guiding the youngest core in the league to a dominant 103-91 win over the Indiana Pacers in the title decider game, Gilgeous-Alexander completed a triple crown rarely seen in NBA history: the scoring title, regular-season MVP, and Finals MVP. His 29-point, 12-assist effort in the finale was more than just a statistical line; it was the last piece in a campaign where he now ranks alongside Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the only players to reach that trifecta by age 26. The gravity didn’t just go unnoticed.

In a rare moment of public tribute, Kevin Garnett, the 2008 NBA champion and also one of the most intense competitors the league has ever seen, took to Instagram to give his stamp of approval with a salute. “Congratulations to OKC THUNDER… 2025 NBA CHAMPIONS 💪💯💯🔥,” the Hall of Famer wrote. “Respect 💪💯 @okcthunder.” For a player who developed his career around grit, leadership, and defensive dominance in a storied 21-season NBA career, Garnett’s salute was an affirmation of a new force in the NBA rather than merely respect.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander‘s journey to this mountaintop is unlike that of most MVPs. Once the 30th-ranked recruit in his high school class and traded twice before playing an NBA game, he’s now led a 68-win juggernaut that posted the best point differential in league history. Key players like Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein missed a lot of time, but SGA kept the Thunder going strong.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Double MVPs and a Thunderstorm of Legacy Shakes Up NBA

With his Finals MVP secured, Gilgeous-Alexander, who was emotional after creating history, became the 11th player in NBA history to win both regular-season and Finals MVP honors, joining the likes of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Shaquille O’Neal, to name a few. What makes it even more special is the timing of the historic feat. The last player to sweep both MVPs in the same season? LeBron James in 2013. Not even Stephen Curry or Kevin Durant managed that level of impactful feat in the NBA so far.

The Thunder prospered even with Holmgren out for over two-thirds of the season, and their reserve forces frequently struggled. Gilgeous-Alexander’s 32.7 points per game, 6.4 assists, and league-best two-way consistency really kept him on top of things and drove him through a demanding playoff run, including a second-round triumph over Nikola Jokic’s Denver Nuggets.

In many ways, Garnett’s endorsement is poetic for the Thunder. Like SGA, Garnet was once a transformative force who elevated a franchisee with intensity and quiet leadership and stood up when it mattered the most. And while Garnett had to wait over a decade to reach his title peak, SGA has done it at the age of 26, with his best years still ahead of him.

According to reports, Gilgeous-Alexander is now set to get a 4-year, $293.4 million Supermax extension offer to stay with the OKC Thunder, which would make him one of the highest-paid players in the league’s history by average annual value. The Thunder, it seems, are just getting started, and this NBA title could be the first of many.