Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder has played out of his mind in the 2024-25 NBA season. Currently, Gilgeous-Alexander is third in the league’s MVP Ladder, averaging 31.3 points, 5.5 rebounds and 6.0 assists.
SGA is averaging 30 points for the third season and has a chance to win the Most Valuable Player of the Year. He’s led the Thunder to a 27-5 record, the best in the Western Conference. Given how he’s played this season, the star has earned fans who have shared the court with them.
On Tuesday, New Year’s Eve, the Thunder took on the Minnesota Timberwolves. SGA had a 40-point performance that led Oklahoma City to a 113-105 win. After the game, Wolves star Anthony Edwards spoke highly of the caliber of player SGA is.
“To me, he’s unguardable,” Edwards said. “As far as any one-on-one matchup, yeah, you can go on and give it up. Just give him two points most of the time. So I think you got to trap him. Maybe that don’t work, but you got to try it. For sure you got to send a second body, especially if he got a favorable matchup. Anytime he got somebody that he knows can’t guard him, ah, he going to score every time.”
Minnesota’s star believes the two-time All-Star deserved the MVP award last season. Additionally, he also thinks SGA should win the award this season.
“I don’t know if they could give it to [Jokic] again,” said Edwards, who had 20 points in the loss. “Yeah, I would say Shai. Yeah, he’s looking like the MVP, man. He was incredible once again tonight… It’s incredible, man. If he is keeping him like that, I hope they give [MVP] to him this year for sure. I feel like he should have won it last year, but he’s playing out his mind right now.”
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander MVP quote recap from tonight.
Anthony Edwards: "The MVP of the NBA… he's unguardable.. I feel like he should have won it last year."
Isaiah Hartenstein: "That's the MVP right there."
OKC Police Department: "Give SGA the MVP already!"
— Brandon Rahbar (@BrandonRahbar) January 1, 2025
Oklahoma City Thunder’s star has respect to Edwards after his MVP comments
After the Wolves win, a reporter told the Oklahoma City Thunder guard about Edwards’ MVP comments about him. SGA stayed humble and revealed it was a good feeling to have his opposing stars commend him on what he’s done this season.
“It’s a really good feeling,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “No offense to you guys and the media. But the best satisfaction is when your peers, the guys that do the same thing for a living at a very high level that you do recognize and respect your craft and your talent. That’s a really good feeling.”
“Obviously, the caliber of player [that] he is, sky’s the limit… feels really good.
“The best satisfaction is when your peers recognize and respect your craft and your talent.”
SGA on hearing Ant’s praise & admiration for his game after last night’s matchup 💯 pic.twitter.com/fTmbDmaCGq
— NBA (@NBA) January 1, 2025
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Reign also writes NBA and WNBA news updates on Sportskeeda. He started as a feature writer for AirAlamo, an NBA website that covers the San Antonio Spurs. Some of his work can also be seen with Valley of the Suns, a Phoenix Suns-centric website, where he served as a contributing writer.
