With the Thunder raising the Larry O'Brien Trophy, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has just put his signature on a season-long masterpiece.

The Thunder's scoring savant helped lead the franchise to its first NBA title of the Oklahoma City era, capping off a season that included an All-Star start, All-NBA First Team nod, and scoring title, in addition to three MVP awards.

Gilgeous-Alexander has, undoubtedly, turned in one of the best individual seasons in the NBA's 78-year history.

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At just 26 years old, Gilgeous-Alexander's unique collection of accolades places him in elite company alongside the game's all-time greats. He's doing things that have not been done since LeBron James, Michael Jordan, and Shaquille O'Neal.

Gilgeous-Alexander put a bow on his first title run with 29 points, five rebounds, and 12 assists in the Thunder's Game 7 closeout victory over the Pacers. He finishes the 2025 postseason with 15 games of 30-plus points  and his clutch Game 4 showing will be looked back upon as a defining moment of his career.

Difficult as it is to fully encapsulate the all-time status of Gilgeous-Alexander's season, three reasons stand out above all.

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Nine players have won MVP and Finals MVP in the same season

For the first time in 12 years, one player has been named NBA Finals MVP and league MVP in the same season.

Gilgeous-Alexander joins an elite list of nine players named MVP of the regular season and the Finals in the same year, and he's the first to do it since James did it in 2013. This marks just the fifth instance since the turn of the century, and Gilgeous-Alexander is the first guard to win both awards since Jordan in 1998.

Each of the players that preceded SGA in achieving the dual feat was named to the NBA's 75th Anniversary team, a great sign for the success that is to come for the remainder of his career. 

Six scoring champions have won an NBA championship in the same season

For just the second time this century, the NBA's scoring champion has gone on to win the NBA title. Gilgeous-Alexander is the first top scorer to also win an NBA title since O'Neal in 2000.

Poetically, both titles came against the Pacers.

Similar to the above list, Gilgeous-Alexander and Jordan are the only guards in NBA history to win a scoring title and a championship in the same year. Jordan did it in each of the six years he won a title, and Gilgeous-Alexander is off to a great start by winning a championship after capturing his first scoring title.

Most 30-point games in an NBA playoff run

Including Gilgeous-Alexander, only four players have turned in 15-plus games of 30 or more points in a single playoff run. The others are all multi-time champions and have a seat at the table of all-time greats.

Gilgeous-Alexander's playoff run included at least two 30-point games in each series, including a 40-point, 10-assist performance in a crucial Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals and 35 points in a critical spot in Game 4 of the NBA Finals.

The best player on a historically dominant team

After winning 68 games by an NBA record average margin of victory, the Thunder's title run included a 16-6 run in the postseason, giving them an overall mark of 84-20 (.808) in the regular season and playoff combined.

With its 84 wins, OKC has turned in the third-winningest season in NBA history, and Gilgeous-Alexander is the catalyst for the team's success.

Where the 2024-25 Thunder rank among all-time championship teams is up for interpretation, but there's no denying that their large-scale success wouldn't be possible without Gilgeous-Alexander, the franchise's MVP at all stops.

MORE SHAI GILGEOUS-ALEXANDER

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• Why Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was named the NBA's MVP in 2025
• How Shai Gilgeous-Alexander joins Steve Nash in rare company
• What to know about Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's unique deal with Converse