The NBA season is just a few months old, and players are starting to establish themselves among the elite. One standout is former Kentucky Wildcat Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who had a breakout season last year reminiscent of an MVP candidate and is aiming for that honor again this year. He is currently in contention for the MVP award.
With much of the season still ahead—being less than halfway through—Gilgeous-Alexander has ample opportunity to make a case for being the best player in the league. ESPN uses a rating system based on players’ averages, and currently, Gilgeous-Alexander is striving for the top position, sitting behind Nikola Jokic (62.6) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (57.8) with a rating of 51.9. While he has time to improve that ranking, overtaking players with multiple MVPs like Jokic and Antetokounmpo will be challenging.
This season, Gilgeous-Alexander is scoring the second-highest points in the league, averaging 31.1 points, along with 6.1 assists and 5.7 rebounds while shooting 51.6% overall and 35.4% from beyond the arc. His outstanding performances have propelled the Oklahoma City Thunder to the top of the Western Conference with a 24-5 record. He is currently on a hot streak, contributing an impressive 33.8 points, 6.1 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 2.6 steals, and 1.2 blocks during the Thunder’s ongoing 9-game winning streak, shooting 54.2% overall, 37.3% from three-point range, and an excellent 94.1% from the free-throw line.
Fans can catch Gilgeous-Alexander in action next on Saturday, when the Thunder face off against the Charlotte Hornets at 6 p.m. ET, hoping for their 10th consecutive win.
