Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Wins NBA Finals MVP 2025: Leads OKC Thunder to Historic Championship Win Over Pacers | NBA News
The Oklahoma City Thunder are the 2025 NBA champions. In a packed Paycom Center, they clinched their first title since relocating from Seattle in 2008 with a 103-91 win over the Indiana Pacers in Game 7. The victory capped off a remarkable season led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who was named NBA Finals MVP after another elite performance. The 26-year-old star completed a season for the ages with hardware that cements his place among the game’s elite.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander joins elite company with MVP sweep
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander made history. He became the first player since LeBron James in 2012-13 to win both the NBA regular season MVP and the Finals MVP in the same season. “For me this is a win for my family, it’s a win for my friends, it’s a win for everybody that was in my corner growing up,” Gilgeous-Alexander said after hoisting the Bill Russell Trophy.In Game 7, the Canadian guard delivered once again, finishing with 29 points, 12 assists, five rebounds, two blocks, and a steal. His steady leadership, even as Indiana led at halftime, helped Oklahoma City explode for a 34-20 third-quarter run that turned the tide. “It means everything. This is why you play the sport—you play every sport to win. We have a team full of competitors, we did what it took to be champions and we deserve this. We rose to the moment and here we are,” he added.
Shai now becomes only the 11th player in NBA history to win MVP and Finals MVP in the same season— a group that includes icons like Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Shaquille O’Neal. He also became just the fourth player to win a scoring title and Finals MVP in the same season.After the final buzzer, Gilgeous-Alexander collapsed into coach Mark Daigneault’s arms, overwhelmed. “It doesn’t feel real,” he said. “So many hours. So many moments. So many emotions. So many nights of disbelief. So many nights of belief. It’s crazy to know that we’re all here, but this group worked for it. This group put in the hours and we deserve this.”Also Read: Indiana Pacers vs Oklahoma City Thunder (06/22): Box score, player stats, game summary, and moreWith this win, Oklahoma City now has its first title banner to hang, one earned with the youngest Finals-winning roster in nearly 50 years. As coach Daigneault summed up, “They behave like champions. They compete like champions. They are an uncommon team and now they’re champions.” The Thunder certainly deserved the win as they have been dominant this entire season.
