After finishing as the runner-up for the NBA MVP award the previous year, Oklahoma City Thunder star guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has reached the pinnacle of individual achievement in the league. Gilgeous-Alexander was voted the 2024-25 NBA Most Valuable Player, surpassing notable contenders Nikola Jokić of the Denver Nuggets and Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks. The announcement was reported by Shams Charania of ESPN, highlighting an exhilarating MVP race that captivated fans throughout the season. The competition was initially heated, with Gilgeous-Alexander and Jokić emerging as early favorites, setting the stage for a memorable season.

Jokić, aiming to become the sixth player in NBA history to secure the MVP award four times, delivered an outstanding performance; however, it was Gilgeous-Alexander who ultimately garnered the prestigious recognition. During the 2024-25 season, Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder to a first-place finish in the Western Conference for the second consecutive year, culminating in an impressive league-best record of 68-14. He excelled individually as well, clinching the NBA scoring title with an average of 32.7 points per game while also contributing 5.0 rebounds, 6.4 assists, 1.7 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game. Gilgeous-Alexander's shooting percentages were remarkable, as he converted 51.9 percent of his field goal attempts and 37.5 percent from beyond the arc, marking the fourth time in his career that he surpassed the 50 percent shooting threshold for an entire season.

The 2024-25 campaign was punctuated with memorable moments, as Gilgeous-Alexander notably surpassed the 50-point mark on four occasions, highlighted by a career-high 54-point game against the Utah Jazz in January. His stellar performance, however, was matched by formidable competition from Jokić, who claimed in March that he was "playing the best basketball of my life." Jokić finished the season with averages of 29.6 points, 12.7 rebounds, and 10.2 assists, placing him among the top three in the league for each statistical category and establishing him as one of the only players to ever average a triple-double for an entire season, joining the ranks of Oscar Robertson and Russell Westbrook. Furthermore, Jokić made history with a 30-20-20 game against the Phoenix Suns, recording 31 points, 21 rebounds, and a career-high 22 assists. He also marked a significant milestone with a career-high 61-point triple-double against the Minnesota Timberwolves on April 1, further solidifying his position as one of the elite players in the league. Antetokounmpo, on the other hand, showcased his own excellence with an average of 30.4 points, 11.9 rebounds, 6.5 assists, and 1.2 blocks per game, while shooting an impressive 60.1 percent from the floor. His performance not only contributed to the Bucks winning the In-Season Tournament championship in December but also included a standout game where he scored 59 points and secured 14 rebounds in an overtime victory over the Detroit Pistons in November. Ultimately, Gilgeous-Alexander's achievement of earning his first career MVP award places him among the elite in NBA history, and he will undoubtedly be motivated to pursue an NBA Championship to complement his individual accolades.