On Wednesday, the voting for the NBA's MVP award was announced, and it was no real surprise that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder won the award.
The voting wasn't even that close. Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets received 29 first-place votes, while Gilgeous-Alexander got 71 first-place votes. No one else got a single first-place vote.
Gilgeous-Alexander had another sensational season, as he led the league with an average of 32.7 points a game and shot 51.9% from the field and 37.5% from 3-point range. He led the Thunder to a 64-18 record, and they currently lead the Western Conference Finals 1-0 over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
He bought his teammates a set of Rolex watches, and fans reacted to the news on X.
"380 mil extension incoming," one fan wrote.
"They flexing on the wolves," a second fan wrote.
"MVP SHAI IS A GREAT TEAMMATE," another user wrote.
"All millionaires, he coulda bought poor kids Rolexes instead smh," another fan wrote.
"Yo Shai can I get one bro," a fifth fan wrote.
"Like he bought all those calls from the refs," another user wrote.
This was the third season in a row Gilgeous-Alexander averaged at least 30 points a game. He has been gradually evolving into a very formidable player ever since he was a modest rookie on the Los Angeles Clippers during the 2018-19 season.
After his rookie campaign, the Clippers sent him and a treasure chest of draft picks to the Thunder for veteran All-Star forward Paul George. While that trade has turned into a disaster for the Clippers, who won just three playoff series in five years with George and Kawhi Leonard, it has propelled Oklahoma City into title contention.
Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon guards Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander at Ball Arena.
Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon guards Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander at Ball Arena.
Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
One key to the guard's ascension, as well as the team's ascension, has been his ability to get to the free throw line. Although he's reed-thin at 6-foot-6 and 195 pounds, he averaged 8.8 free throw attempts during the regular season and led everyone with 7.9 makes a game from the charity stripe.
He will now look to deliver the Thunder's first NBA championship since 1979 when they were known as the Seattle SuperSonics.