OKC Thunder Superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Holds High Odds to Win MVP Next Season

Could the Thunder superstar be in the running once again?

May 18, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) dribbles against the Dallas Mavericks during the second quarter in game six of the second round of the 2024 NBA playoffs at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports / Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

The Oklahoma City Thunder are going to be a popular pick for the 2025 NBA Finals. Whether it be winning the championship or simply making the final series of the season, they're going to be receiving quite a bit of praise ahead of the season.

At the head of the team's incredible offense is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The team's cornerstone of the rebuild turned into a superstar, MVP-caliber player. After a top-five finish in MVP voting in 2023, Gilgeous-Alexander was the runner-up for the award in 2024.

Now, heading into a new season where the team will be highly regarded, does Gilgeous-Alexander have a chance to be a finalist again -- or even win the award outright?

The Thunder added Isaiah Hartenstein in free agency and traded for Alex Caruso, adding two key rotational players in free agency while only losing Josh Giddey. Needless to say, the 57-win Thunder got much better.

There's a chance the Thunder could surpass the 60-win mark next season and finish atop the Western Conference next season, but where would that leave Gilgeous-Alexander in MVP voting?

ESPN BET has early odds for the MVP winner for the upcoming NBA season, which leaves Gilgeous-Alexander tied with Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo for the third-best odds to win the award at +500.

Denver Nuggets' Nikola Jokic holds the best odds at +300 to win the award for the fourth time in his career with Dallas Mavericks' Luka Doncic following closely at +350.

Evidently, Oklahoma City was the top seed in the West a season ago and the Thunder superstar's resume was more than solid for an MVP candidate. Still, Gilgeous-Alexander fell short of the award.

Any of the awards voted on by media members are driven by heavily by narrative. The Thunder are receiving all of the hype and will be a title contender. Gilgeous-Alexander impacts the floor at an elite level on both sides of the ball.

The way Oklahoma City plays, in such a team-oriented way, makes it seem as if Gilgeous-Alexander won't be the MVP next season, though he could be a finalist again. Both Jokic and Doncic play heliocentric basketball with the offense going through them.

Gilgeous-Alexander has the highest usage rate and is the focus of the Thunder offense, though it's a five-out, drive-heavy style that promotes production from each of the five players on the court.

The betting odds suggest Gilgeous-Alexander could be a finalist for a second straight season, but betting on him to actually take home the hardware feels like a tough bet to make.

---

READ MORE: Western Conference Title Odds Tip in Favor of OKC Thunder Ahead of 2024-25 NBA Season

Want to join the discussion? Like Inside the Thunder on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest Thunder news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.