Overview
- LeBron James publicly backed Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s repeat MVP honor Thursday, saying the guard’s play and demeanor make the awards deserved as the Thunder lead their Western Conference Finals series.
- The NBA confirmed Gilgeous-Alexander as the 2026 Most Valuable Player, giving him consecutive MVPs after a regular season in which he averaged 31.1 points and 6.6 assists while shooting 55.3 percent from the field.
- James explained that opposing teams must prioritize stopping Gilgeous-Alexander because he affects defenses in multiple ways, calling him the ‘head of the snake’ and saying SGA tops scouting reports.
- Oklahoma City’s playoff run has reinforced evaluations of SGA’s value: the Thunder swept the Lakers in the second round despite Jalen Williams’ absence and saw bench guard Ajay Mitchell step up.
- Reporting on the award released vote details that showed strong support for SGA, including published accounts of 83 of 100 first-place votes, and his repeat win has renewed public discussion about timing and disclosure of MVP announcements.