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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander applauds Thunder front office for NBA title
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- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander applauds Thunder front office for NBA title
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OKLAHOMA CITY — After capturing his first NBA championship in Game 7 against the Indiana Pacers , Oklahoma City Thunder All-Star and NBA Finals MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander showered the front office with appreciation for a remarkable journey. Gilgeous-Alexander's NBA Finals MVP award tops a campaign that only Hall of Fame guard Michael Jordan and centers Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Shaquille O'Neal can relate to.
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Gilgeous-Alexander added finals MVP to winning the scoring title, and regular-season MVP, along with, of course, the NBA championship. After the win, Gilgeous-Alexander addressed the Thunder front office for putting him in a position to ascend into the association's brightest star.
"I'm so happy for them. They put in so much work behind the scenes and not everybody sees," Gilgeous-Alexander said. "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."
Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 29 points, 12 assists, two blocks, and one steal in Sunday's series-clinching 103-91 win against the Pacers.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander eligible for $293.4 million extension
Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
Thunder All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is eligible for a max contract after such a historic season that led to a championship run. While Thunder All-Star Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren 's respective extensions would start a year earlier than Gilgeous-Alexander's, in 2026, SGA could cash in up to $81.2 million in one season.
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Gilgeous-Alexander's max deal could average over $73 million per season, while the salary of $80 million or more in one season would be a first in the NBA, per ESPN's Bobby Marks.
"The MVP is eligible to sign a four-year, $293.4 million supermax extension ($65.5 million, $70.7 million, $76 million, $81.2 million)," Marks wrote. "Because he has two years left on his contract, the $65.5 million salary in the first year would not start until 2027-28. The extension is unprecedented for two reasons. The $73.3 million average over the four seasons is the highest in NBA history.
"And next, Gilgeous-Alexander will probably become the first player with a salary of $80 million or more in one season. He led the league in scoring and had 71 straight 20-point games, the fourth-longest streak in NBA history," Marks concluded.
Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 30.3 points on 44.3% shooting, 5.6 assists, 4.6 rebounds, 1.9 steals, and 1.6 blocks against the Pacers in the NBA Finals, making him the clear-cut candidate for his second MVP award of the 2024-25 campaign.
Related: Thunder's Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren in line for $247 million contract extensions
Related: Thunder player who made history by winning title before even playing a game
