Why Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Won 2025 Finals MVP
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 30.3 points, 5.6 assists and 4.6 rebounds across the seven-game NBA Finals and led Oklahoma City to the championship.
Timeline
- 2024–25 regular season: Gilgeous-Alexander led the NBA with 32.7 points per game and won league MVP.
- June 22, 2025: Oklahoma City beat Indiana 103–91 in Game 7 to win the NBA championship.
- After Game 7: Gilgeous-Alexander received the Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP award.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander won the 2025 Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player award after leading the Oklahoma City Thunder past the Indiana Pacers in seven games. He averaged 30.3 points, 5.6 assists and 4.6 rebounds in the series. Oklahoma City clinched the championship at home with a 103–91 victory on June 22. [1][2]
His case rested first on sustained scoring. Gilgeous-Alexander led all Finals players with 30.3 points per game and produced 38 points in his Finals debut, then 34 in Game 2. Indiana varied its defensive pressure across the series, but his drives, mid-range game, free throws and passing remained the center of Oklahoma City's half-court offense. [1][2]
Game 7 showed a broader contribution. He shot 8 for 27 and 2 for 12 from three-point range, an inefficient scoring night by his standard, yet finished with 29 points, 12 assists, five rebounds, two blocks and a steal. His playmaking helped teammates create the decisive second-half separation after a close first half. [1]
The award also reflected leadership across a complete championship run. Oklahoma City posted a league-best 68–14 regular-season record, entered the playoffs as the Western Conference's top seed and survived a Finals in which the teams alternated wins. Gilgeous-Alexander had already been named Western Conference finals MVP before adding the championship-series honor. [1][2]
His Finals award completed an unusually rare individual season. Gilgeous-Alexander had won the regular-season scoring title at 32.7 points per game and the league MVP award. He became only the fourth player to combine the scoring title, regular-season MVP and Finals MVP in one season, joining Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Jordan and Shaquille O'Neal. [1][2]
Finals MVP is determined by a media vote and recognizes performance within the championship series rather than the entire playoffs. The Thunder won through defense, depth and contributions from multiple players, and Indiana's run also shaped the seven-game contest. Gilgeous-Alexander's central offensive role and series-leading production made him the selected individual representative of the title. [1][2]
The statistical answer is straightforward: 30.3 points per game across seven Finals games, capped by 29 points and 12 assists in the clincher. The wider explanation is his ability to remain Oklahoma City's main creator even when his shot was not falling. Combined with the team's championship and his season-long honors, that record explains the voters' choice. [1][2]