Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s $285 million Thunder contract extension becomes largest in NBA history

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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s $285 million Thunder contract extension becomes largest in NBA history

Brett Siegel · ClutchPoints

Tue, Jul 1, 2025 ·

4 min read

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The post Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's $285 million Thunder contract extension becomes largest in NBA history appeared first on ClutchPoints .

Oklahoma City Thunder star and 2024-25 NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has just signed a lucrative contract extension with the team that has made league history . With all the dust settling from their recent championship, Gilgeous-Alexander will put pen to paper on a four-year, $285 million contract extension with the Thunder, according to Shams Charania of ESPN.

This is the richest annual salary for a player in league history, as Gilgeous-Alexander will make an annual average value of $71.25 million per year once this extension kicks in.

Since arriving in Oklahoma City in the summer of 2019, SGA has now signed two contract extensions with the team. He is the face of the franchise and will not be going anywhere anytime soon. This latest contract extension will run through the 2030-31 NBA season.

While he is just 26 years old and turning 27 in July, Oklahoma City's star guard has cemented himself as one of the best players in the world. After becoming the third regular-season MVP in Thunder history, joining the likes of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook , Gilgeous-Alexander led the 68-win Thunder to their first championship in team history.

In 76 games this past season, Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 32.7 points, 6.4 assists, and 5.0 rebounds per game while shooting 51.9 percent from the floor and 37.5 percent from 3-point range. The Thunder superstar not only led the league in scoring, but he averaged 30.3 points per game in the 2025 NBA Finals, joining an exclusive list of Hall of Fame talent.

Gilgeous-Alexander joined Rick Berry (36.3), Allen Iverson (35.6), Giannis Antetokounmpo (35.2), Michael Jordan (33.6), Jerry West (30.5), Kevin Durant (30.3), and Nikola Jokic (30.2) as the only players in league history to average at least 30 points per game in the NBA Finals.

He also became the 11th player in league history to win the MVP and Finals MVP in the same season, joining the likes of Michael Jordan (4x), LeBron James (2x), Larry Bird (2x), Tim Duncan , Hakeem Olajuwon, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O'Neal, Moses Malone, Willis Reed, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Only four players in the history of the NBA have ever completed the "triple crown," winning the scoring title, MVP, and Finals MVP in the same season: Jordan (4x), O'Neal, Abdul-Jabbar, and now Gilgeous-Alexander.

What makes Gilgeous-Alexander such a special player is that he never puts himself above any of his teammates or the organization. Unlike other superstars, who oftentimes speak out about struggles or drama connected with the team, Gilgeous-Alexander is always cool, calm, and collected — an energy that has resonated with his teammates and helped establish a strong culture that won't be broken.

On top of everything, Gilgeous-Alexander's special relationship with executive Sam Presti and the Thunder front office is why this is just the start of something special in Oklahoma City.

"I'm so happy for them. They put in so much work behind the scenes and not everybody sees," Gilgeous-Alexander said after the season and his team's championship run. "They don't always get the credit, but they've done an amazing job of building an environment, a winning environment. And it's not a fluke why we're here and why we have so much success, and why we've grown so quickly.

"Those guys have done a great job giving us a platform to be ourselves and be great, and we did so."

The Thunder acquired Gilgeous-Alexander in 2019 from the Los Angeles Clippers as the featured name in the massive Paul George trade . From that point on, SGA began forging his path to stardom, which has ultimately led to him becoming the best player in the NBA.

Given his age, leadership abilities, and commitment to his team, the stage is set for the Thunder to run the Western Conference for many years to come. As long as Gilgeous-Alexander is on the court, his team will be regarded as the best in the league.

Not many players remain with the same franchise throughout their entire career, but Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has proven that loyalty and character matter when it comes to establishing a championship culture. His commitment to the Thunder for the next several years with this historic contract extension is just the start of what could be many more titles to come in Oklahoma City.

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