Just weeks after being fired by the Denver Nuggets, former head coach Michael Malone made his ESPN analyst debut and sparked headlines by calling Shai Gilgeous-Alexander “the MVP” following OKC’s dominant Game 1 win over Minnesota.
Just weeks after parting ways with the Denver Nuggets, Michael Malone made his on-air debut as an ESPN analyst during the Western Conference Finals. And like most of his time on the sidelines, he didn’t hold back.
Points this season
Oklahoma City Thunder
NBA
Following the Oklahoma City Thunder dominant 114–88 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 1, Malone dropped a hot take that immediately set social media buzzing.
“Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, he showed why he's the MVP,” Malone said.
The comment might’ve sounded like a standard analyst reaction, but context matters. Just two months ago, Malone was riding hard for Nikola Jokic, passionately defending the big man during MVP discussions.
“He wins the MVP 10 times out of 10. And if you don't think so, you guys are all full of (bleep),” Malone had said then, standing firmly in Jokic’s corner.
At the time, Jokic was posting elite numbers and leading Denver toward another deep playoff run. But now, with Jokic out of the race and Malone out of the job, his praise for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander felt like more than just admiration—it felt like a pivot.
And SGA gave him reason to talk. The Thunder’s leader dropped 31 points and dished out nine assists in Game 1, marking his fourth consecutive 30-point performance in the playoffs, and his eighth in 12 games.
Despite guiding the Nuggets to their first NBA title in 2023 and amassing 471 regular-season wins across nine seasons, Malone was let go just before the end of the regular season.
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