Dating back to the award's inception in 1956, the University of Kentucky had never produced an NBA Most Valuable Player.
Until now, that is.
Former UK guard **[Shai Gilgeous-Alexander](https://247sports.com/Player/Shai-Gilgeous-Alexander-87637)** of the Oklahoma City Thunder has been named the league's MVP, it was announced on Wednesday. Gilgeous-Alexander finished as the runner-up in the MVP voting a year ago and in the top-5 for the third straight year.
It was a historic season for Gilgeous-Alexander, who was the NBA scoring champ, averaging a career-high 32.7 points to go along with 5.0 rebounds, a career-best 6.4 assists and 1.7 steals per game in helping lead the Thunder to a league-leading 68 wins and a berth on the Western Conference Finals this season.
He also scored 20 or more points in 72 straight games and led the league in 20-point games (75), 30-point games (49), 40-point games (13) and 50-point games (4).
Oklahoma City currently leads the Minnesota Timberwolves 1-0 in the best-of-7 Western Conference Finals series. In Game 1, a 114-88 win, Gilgeous-Alexander finished with game-highs of 31 points and nine assists. Game 2 will take place in Oklahoma City on Saturday.
Over the course of his 7-year NBA career, the 3-time All-Star and 2-time First Team All-NBA selection is averaging 24.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 1.4 steals per game.
Following one season with the Wildcats in 2017-18, Gilgeous-Alexander was selected 11th overall in the 2018 NBA Draft by the Charlotte Hornets before being traded to the Los Angeles Clippers, where he spent his rookie season and was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team before being dealt to the Thunder for **[Paul George](https://247sports.com/Player/paul-george-60309)**.
During his lone season at Kentucky in 2017-18, Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 14.4 points, 4.1 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 1.6 steals per game and was named Second Team All-SEC, to the SEC All-Freshman Team and Most Valuable Player of the SEC Tournament in helping lead the Wildcats to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. Among UK freshmen all-time, he ranks third in assists (189), third in steals (61), ninth in free throw percentage (81.7), 10th in made free throws (143) and 13th in points (532).
He recorded 15+ points, 5+ rebounds and 5+ assists in five of his last 10 games and eight times overall as a freshman.
"It changed the course of my career," Gilgeous-Alexander said of attending Kentucky in 2023. "You have to fight for everything you want to get, especially with so much talent around you and you learn that from day one. It's so competitive in that gym and you really get better every day and I found myself getting better every day in that gym and I got to my ultimate goal."
A native of Toronto, Canada, Gilgeous-Alexander attended Hamilton Heights Christian Academy in Chattanooga, Tenn. and was the top-ranked combo guard and No. 20 overall prospect in the 2017 class according to 247Sports. He had originally committed to Florida before signing with Kentucky.