Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is set to become the first player in NBA history to earn $1 million per game

The National Basketball Association (NBA) announced in the early hours of Thursday, May 22 (Philippine Standard Time), that Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been named the NBA’s 2024–25 KIA Most Valuable Player (MVP).

Gilgeous-Alexander beat out competition from Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokić and Milwaukee Bucks icon Giannis Antetokounmpo to win the prestigious honor. This is the first time the 26-year-old has received the MVP award, and he becomes only the second player from Canada to earn the distinction, following two-time winner Steve Nash. Notably, Gilgeous-Alexander is also the third player from the Thunder to win the award, after Kevin Durant (2013–14) and Russell Westbrook (2016–17).

He had an outstanding 2024–25 NBA regular season, averaging 32.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, 6.4 assists, 1.7 steals, and 1.1 blocks per game in approximately 34.2 minutes across 76 appearances. The guard set career highs in points, assists, and blocks per game. He also became the first player since James Harden (2018–19) to lead the league in games with at least 20 points (75), 30 points (49), 40 points (13), and 50 points (4).

Gilgeous-Alexander was the runaway leader in the voting, earning 71 first-place votes for a total of 913 points. He finished well ahead of second-placed Jokić (787 points) and third-placed Antetokounmpo (470 points). Boston Celtics’ Jayson Tatum and Cleveland Cavaliers’ Donovan Mitchell rounded out the top five with 311 and 74 points, respectively.

Following the news of the guard winning the MVP, Bobby Marks of ESPN reported that the 26-year-old will soon be eligible for a record-breaking contract extension.

With Shai Gilgeous-Alexander winning MVP, he will be eligible to sign the following projected extension in the summer of 2026:

27-28: $65.5M
28-29: $70.7M
29-30: $75.9M
30-31: $81.2M
31-32: $86.5M
Total: five years, $379.8M

This will be the largest extension in NBA history.

— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) May 21, 2025

“Shai Gilgeous-Alexander met the supermax criteria (All-NBA in two out of three years) last offseason but was ineligible to sign because he was short of the years-of-service requirement. He is eligible this offseason to sign a four-year, $293 million extension with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Because he won MVP (and this would have applied to being named All-NBA this year), SGA is now eligible to sign a five-year, $380 million extension but would have to wait until the 2026 offseason,” Marks wrote.

What makes the contract special is that Gilgeous-Alexander will become the first player in NBA history to earn $1 million per game at the end of his contract.

According to Keith Smith of Spotrac:

With Shai Gilgeous-Alexander winning MVP, he will be eligible to sign the following projected extension in the summer of 2026:

• 2027–28: $65.5 million 
• 2028–29: $70.7 million 
• 2029–30: $75.9 million 
• 2030–31: $81.2 million 
• 2031–32: $86.5 million

Total: Five years, $379.8 million

This would be the largest extension in NBA history.

With the MVP award now under his belt, the Canadian will aim to secure the NBA Finals MVP award come June — a feat that would not only mark his first NBA championship but also make him the first player since LeBron James in 2013 to win both honors in the same season.

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