As the 2023-24 regular season winds down, the MVP race tightens. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been a prominent player in those discussions this season.
The Oklahoma City Thunder (46-20) sit in first place in the Western Conference standings. The young squad has opened a championship window this season.
Gilgeous-Alexander’s superstar rise has been the main reason. The 25-year-old is averaging 31.1 points on 54% shooting, 6.4 assists and 5.6 rebounds. He also averages a league-leading 2.1 steals.
Before the Thunder collected a signature win over the Dallas Mavericks, Shaquille O’Neal spoke highly of Gilgeous-Alexander, claiming he meets his standards for MVP this season.
“SGA is my MVP right now. He fits both our criteria. He’s the baddest m-f-, shut-your-mouth in the league and his team is winning,” O’Neal said. “He’s definitely my MVP.”
.@SHAQ says SGA is his pick for MVP 👀 pic.twitter.com/lcPC7cikob
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) March 14, 2024
This is a pretty strong endorsement for Gilgeous-Alexander. O’Neal is one of the greatest players ever and has turned into a massive media personality over the years with the “NBA on TNT” crew.
As the Thunder continue to play on national television, famed pundits such as Shaq will recognize Gilgeous-Alexander is one of the best players in the league.
