Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Holding Steady in MVP Odds

OKC’s star is still in the top three for MVP odds this season.

Nov 29, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) shoots the ball against the Los Angeles Lakers in the second half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Oklahoma City’s start to the season has certainly opened eyes. If you weren’t in on the Thunder before the season started, you likely are now. The team has shown so many ways to win and battle adversity. No matter who is injured on a night to night basis, Oklahoma City is still one of the best teams in the NBA.

Obviously one of the main reasons for the Thunder’s success, though, is their MVP candidate leading the charge. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander hasn’t missed a beat this season and seems to be heating up with every passing game.

SGA is clearly trying to add more to his game, experimenting with his outside jump shot and shot volume. His percentages have stayed impressive, though, and his game is still giving defenses headaches. His defense hasn’t fallen off either, as he’s one of the NBA’s premier two-way players.

Per Basketball Reference, Gilgeous-Alexander now has the third best odds to win the NBA’s MVP award. He was a trendy pick coming into the season, but has dropped down the list. This isn’t necessarily a result of anything he’s done, either. It’s more about how good Nikola Jokic has been.

Jokic leads the pack at a 71.7% chance to win the award, followed by Jayson Tatum at 9.3%, and Gilgeous-Alexander close behind at 8.6%.

Gilgeous-Alexander is currently averaging 29.8 points, 6.6 assists, and 5.3 rebounds. He’s leading the Thunder to the top of the West without Chet Holmgren and is well on his way to another All-NBA First Team selection. 

---

Want to join the discussion? Like Thunder on SI 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.