Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Tabbed Second In ESPN Insider MVP Straw Poll

Oklahoma City Thunder superstar, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, receives second spot in ESPN Insider MVP Straw Poll.

The Oklahoma City Thunder have enjoyed another leap from superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander this season. In addition to continuing his masterful scoring, the point guard has enhanced his playmaking ability, spraying out the ball and forcing the defenses to pay for sending additional help.  

This season, Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 31.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, 6.6 assists, a league-best 2.2 steals, and 0.9 blocks per game. The Kentucky product shoots 54 percent from the floor, 36 percent from 3-point land, and 88 percent from the charity stripe. 

After finishing fifth in MVP voting a season ago, the two-time All-Star is poised to climb the ranks at the end of the 2023-24 campaign. Some would argue that the Thunder guard is the leader in the clubhouse. 

Each year, 100 voters league insiders are polled at benchmarks throughout the season by ESPN's Tim Bontemps to give a look at how the MVP race is shaping up. On Tuesday, the World Wide Leader released an update to the NBA Straw Poll, given Joel Embiid's injury has taken him out of contention for the honor. 

This is the second rendition of this season's Straw Poll, and Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic has been bumped up to first place after being tabbed second last go around. This would be Jokic's third MVP award of his career. The NBA Champion came away with 69 first-place votes, 25 second-place votes, and three third and fourth-place votes. 

That left Gilgeous-Alexander in second place, a climb from his initial return of fourth place earlier this season. The max contract guard brought home 24 first-place votes, 54 second-place selections, and third place on 16 ballots. Three voters had him fourth, while two more dropped him to fifth. 

Behind the two leading vote-getters were Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Doncic, Kawhi Leonard, Jayson Tatum, Jalen Brunson, Donovan Mitchell, Anthony Edwards, and Kevin Durant, who rounded out the top ten. 

The Oklahoma City Thunder are a game out of the best record in the Western Conference, with one to play until the All-Star Break, with Gilgeous-Alexander leading the second youngest team to those heights; on top of having the stats, it is more than justifiable to have him in the top two. 

Bontemps notes that the second-place vote-getter the past two seasons has won the MVP Award, so short-term history is on Gilgeous-Alexander's side. 

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