Thunder’s Jalen Williams Warns NBA About MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

OKC Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander bagged his second straight NBA award on Sunday, May 17, a day before their Western Conference Finals clash against the San Antonio Spurs. 

After the announcement made by ESPN’s Shams Charania on X, Gilgeous-Alexander’s teammate Jalen Williams had a scathing warning for the NBA about the Thunder star’s greatness. 

According to Williams, the league is not ready for conversations about Gilgeous-Alexander after picking up his second MVP nod.

“There’s gonna be some uncomfortable convos y’all gotta have…” he wrote on his Instagram story. 

Gilgeous-Alexander was undeniably among the top players this season. He averaged 31.1 points per game on a career-best 55.3% from the field, and 6.6 assists per game. 

He led the Thunder to 64 games in the regular season, leading the team to their third consecutive No. 1 seed. 

Last year, Gilgeous-Alexander also won the regular season MVP and the Finals MVP as the Thunder snagged the 2025 NBA championship, the franchise’s first since moving to Oklahoma City. 

Williams played as Gilgeous-Alexander’s co-star in last year’s NBA championship run, where they dispatched the Indiana Pacers in the finals in seven games. 

Gilgeous-Alexander’s trajectory is like that of any other all-time greats in history, considering that he has now led the Thunder to a title at just 27 years old. He also has a chance to pick up one more ring this season.

The Thunder is currently among the favorites this season after sweeping the first two rounds of the playoffs against the Phoenix Suns and the LA Lakers. 

According to ESPN, all back-to-back MVPs in NBA history have been inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. 

Jalen Williams Gets Honest on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s Greatness

GettyJalen Williams has taken a big step towards getting himself back on the court for the Thunder

Gilgeous-Alexander has been at the center of criticism over the past two years for his relentless style of play, which usually earns him free throws.

After seeing the backlash on Gilgeous-Alexander’s play, Jalen Williams defended his teammate, saying that they do not understand what they are currently watching from the Thunder superstar. 

“People don’t actually know what they’re watching with Shai,” Williams said in a report by ESPN. “They just see numbers and don’t understand the experience. I wish everyone could sit courtside once in their life just to watch what he does.”

Many fans have labeled Gilgeous-Alexander as “unethical hooper” for his knack for fishing fouls. However, he remains one of the best drivers in the NBA, giving him more opportunities to earn foul shots. 

Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 10.4 free throws per game in the playoffs as the Thunder remained undefeated in the postseason heading to the West finals. 

On the other hand, Williams has been out due to a hamstring injury, which he suffered in Game 2 of the first round against the Suns.

SGA Faces Fellow MVP Candidate in the West Finals

GettyThe San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder are set to face in the Western Conference Finals.

In the West Finals, SGA will face fellow MVP candidate and Defensive Player of the Year Victor Wembanyama, who has transformed the Spurs into a powerhouse this season. 

Wembanyama led the Spurs to a first-round win over the Portland Trail Blazers in five games, before pummeling the Minnesota Timberwolves in six games in Round 2. 

Game 1 of the West finals will be on Monday in OKC. 

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