MVP NBA: did Shai Gilgeous-Alexander deserve the award?

To talk about the season MVP award ending up in the hands of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder (for the second straight year), we need to start with one simple fact: it’s difficult to find three players as impactful in a single season as him, Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets and Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs.

Three players with different skill sets, leading different teams and delivering different types of impact – but all standing above everyone else in the field.

Picking a side and arguing against the final result is natural and probably something the NBA actually enjoys, since the league builds narratives around season awards to generate discussion and opinion traffic.

That said, even though Shai was arguably the player among the three with the “best” team – the reigning champions, after all – he earned the trophy through elite-level consistency, maintaining an incredibly high standard all season long with almost unprecedented regularity. Along the way, he also passed Wilt Chamberlain for the record of consecutive games with at least 20 points, a streak that is still active.

Reasons behind the NBA MVP selection

Let’s look at a few more reasons supporting the choice — keeping in mind that the award remains subjective, especially considering the often questionable criteria hidden behind the definition of MVP itself. Criteria that, once again, help fuel the debate the league loves so much.

Nikola Jokic: why he didn’t win MVP

While numbers don’t tell the entire story, evaluating Nikola Jokic, first analytically and then through the eye test, reveals one of the biggest reasons behind his loss.

The Serbian superstar finished with incredible numbers: nearly 28 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 10.7 assists per game, leading the league in overall statistical production. He also shot 56.9% from the field and 38% from three on seven attempts per game, right in line with his best seasons.

But his season was essentially split into two parts because of an injury that sidelined him throughout January.

In November, he looked completely dominant: 52.3% from three on eight attempts per game, 32 points, 11.7 rebounds, and 11 assists, while shooting nearly 65% from the floor. Pure dominance.

After the injury, though, something changed. His shooting percentages dropped significantly, with 30% from three between February and March, falling to 21.4% in April. Even in the playoffs – while not relevant to MVP voting – he shot just 19% on six attempts per game.

Turnovers climbed above four per game during the middle stretch of the season, and even his defensive impact looked less effective, particularly in pick-and-roll situations where opponents frequently targeted him.

Despite all that, the Denver Nuggets still finished the regular season on a strong winning run before eventually collapsing in the playoffs against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and MVP-level consistency

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Oklahoma City Thunder to the conference’s best record for the third consecutive season.

He also won Clutch Player of the Year, an award that highlights his ability to deliver in critical moments – even though OKC often put games away before crunch time even arrived.

Statistically, his production stayed in line with the previous season, while his three-point shooting improved early in the year and finished at 38.6%, the second-best mark of his career.

Of his roughly 31 points per game, nearly eight came from the free-throw line, on about nine attempts per game. That number sparked criticism surrounding his play style, built around pace changes and body control.

But framing it as simply benefiting from favorable whistles feels reductive. It’s more accurate to focus on his ability to manipulate opposing defenses and consistently force them into mistakes.

His skill in creating easy points and putting defenses under pressure is a decisive strength, not a weakness. A factor that directly impacts wins and team success.

Victor Wembanyama and the other NBA MVP candidates

Victor Wembanyama finished third in the voting. Considering his impact on both ends of the floor, he could arguably have climbed even higher.

He still captured his first Defensive Player of the Year award and will almost certainly remain a major factor in future MVP races for years to come.

The conversation is different for Luka Doncic and Cade Cunningham, both hurt by missed games despite outstanding seasons.

Jaylen Brown and Donovan Mitchell also delivered strong campaigns, though each dealt with either individual dips in performance or limitations tied to team success.