MIES (Switzerland) - From FIBA courts to NBA hardwood, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander continues to shine brightly.
Now crowned the 2024-25 NBA Most Valuable Player, the Oklahoma City Thunder star becomes just the second Canadian to win the award after Steve Nash. His season was dominant: a league-best 32.7 points per game, 6.4 assists, 5.0 rebounds, and elite two-way play that led OKC to the NBA’s top record (68-14) and best defensive rating.
But Gilgeous-Alexander's greatness has long extended beyond the NBA.
At the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023, he delivered a tournament to remember - averaging 24.5 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 6.4 assists per game, earning a spot on the All-Star Five. He capped off the campaign with a masterclass 31-point, 12-assist performance to lead Canada past the USA for a historic bronze - the country’s first-ever World Cup or Olympic podium finish.
Just a year later, at the Paris 2024 Olympics, Shai was again a standout, earning All-Second Team honors after guiding Canada to an unbeaten Group Phase and averaging 21.0 points per game.
His national team accolades - World Cup All-Star Five, Olympic All-Second Team, U18 AmeriCup Silver Medalist - now sit alongside the NBA’s highest individual honor, symbolizing a player whose excellence transcends borders.
Not only was this MVP significant for Shai himself and for Canadian basketball, it was also another sign of the rise of international hoops. Gilgeous-Alexander is now the seventh straight MVP to be born outside of the USA succeeding Nikola Jokic who has won the award three times, Joel Embiid, and Giannis Antetokounmpo who won MVP twice.
NBA Season | MVP | Nationality | NBA franchise |
2015-16 | Stephen Curry | USA | Golden State Warriors |
2016-17 | Russell Westbrook | USA | Oklahoma City Thunder |
2017-18 | James Harden | USA | Houston Rockets |
2018–19 | Giannis Antetokounmpo | GRE | Milwaukee Bucks |
2019–20 | Giannis Antetokounmpo | GRE | Milwaukee Bucks |
2020–21 | Nikola Jokic | SRB | Denver Nuggets |
2021–22 | Nikola Jokic | SRB | Denver Nuggets |
2022–23 | Joel Embiid | CMR/FRA/USA | Philadelphia 76ers |
2023–24 | Nikola Jokić | SRB | Denver Nuggets |
2024–25 | Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | CAN | Oklahoma City Thunder |
For Gilgeous-Alexander, this MVP isn’t just a personal milestone - it’s another chapter in a growing legacy as a global basketball icon.
FIBA