Shai Gilgeous-Alexander objectives to enroll in Hall of Fame corporate within the NBA Finals

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has already secured the NBA’s maximum prized particular person award this season. Now, the reigning scoring champ has the Thunder at the verge of the franchise’s first championship since relocating to Oklahoma City. 

After main the league in scoring (32.7 issues in keeping with sport) and pioneering the Thunder to an NBA-best and franchise-best common season file of 68-14, Gilgeous-Alexander was once topped NBA MVP for the 2024–25 marketing campaign.

Winning the coveted MVP award has no longer at all times ended in workforce luck within the playoffs, on the other hand, as it is been a decade for the reason that MVP went directly to win an NBA championship.

Only a make a choice few gamers, all Hall of Famers, have completed the feat. Gilgeous-Alexander may quickly sign up for the unique listing of all-time greats. 

Players to win NBA Finals and be named MVP in the similar season

Fourteen gamers in NBA historical past have gained a championship and been named league MVP in the similar season.

Bob Cousy of the Boston Celtics was once the primary to do it in 1956-57. Fellow Celtics legend Bill Russell adopted swimsuit in 1960-61 and went directly to do it a grand general of 4 occasions. Only Chicago Bulls icon Michael Jordan has matched Russell in terms of such seasons.

Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry is the newest participant to succeed in the uncommon feat. In his illustrious profession, Curry has gained 4 NBA titles and two common season MVP awards, however the 2014–15 season was once the one one wherein he scored each trophies.

Here’s a complete breakdown of the gamers to win a championship and be named common season MVP in the similar season:

• Bob Cousy (1956-57)

• Bill Russell (1960-61, 1961-62, 1962-63, 1964-65)

• Wilt Chamberlain (1966-67)

• Willis Reed (1969-70)

• Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1970-71, 1979-80)

• Moses Malone (1982-83)

• Larry Bird (1983-84, 1985-86)

• Magic Johnson (1986-87)

• Michael Jordan (1990-91, 1991-92, 1995-96, 1997-98)

• Hakeem Olajuwon (1993-94)

• Shaquille O’Neal (1999-00)

• Tim Duncan (2002-03)

• LeBron James (2011-12, 2012-13)

• Steph Curry (2014-15)

For Gilgeous-Alexander to enroll in the elite corporate of Hall of Famers, the top-seeded Thunder will want to defeat the Indiana Pacers within the NBA Finals, which start Thursday in Oklahoma City. 

It’s the primary postseason assembly between the 2 franchises. The Thunder input on the lookout for the franchise’s first identify in its Oklahoma City technology and primary for the reason that former Seattle SuperSonics gained all of it again in 1979. Indiana in a similar fashion heads into the Finals having a look to snap a long championship drought. Indiana hasn’t raised a identify banner since Bobby “Slick” Leonard led them to 3 ABA championships in 4 years between 1970 and 1973, earlier than the ABA-NBA merger.