Shai boosts his MVP status

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander sealed one of the most impressive individual seasons in NBA history by hoisting the Bill Russell trophy, awarded to the Finals MVP.

Quite a contrast from his arrival at Oklahoma City almost six years ago as the team rebuilt.

His name is now included among some of the game’s all-time greats.

Gilgeous-Alexander capped a dominant season as Thunder became NBA champs after beating the Indiana Pacers in game seven of the play-off finals on Sunday. The 26-year-old Canadian scored 29 points and had 12 assists in their 103-91 success.

He was named the NBA Finals MVP to add to his NBA regular season MVP award and scoring title, just the fourth player and the first since Shaquille O’Neal to achieve the rare treble in one season. The only others to accomplish that feat are Michael Jordan (four times), LeBron James (twice), Larry Bird (twice), Tim Duncan, Shaquille O’Neal, Hakeem Olajuwon, Magic Johnson, Moses Malone, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Willis Reed.

For long-suffering Thunder fans this was the first title since the franchise moved to Oklahoma City from Seattle in 2008 after Seattle won the 1979 crown.

Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 32.7 points during the regular season and 30.3 in the Finals.

He said: “It’s hard to believe that I’m part of that group. It’s hard to even fathom that I’m that type of basketball player sometimes. As a kid, you dream. Every kid dreams. But you don’t ever really know if it’s going to come true. I’m just glad and happy that my dreams have been able to come true.”

“This isn’t just a win for me,” Gilgeous-Alexander added. “This is a win for my family. This is a win for my friends. This is a win for everyone who was in my corner growing up. This is a win for the fans.”

The most memorable Finals performance by Gilgeous-Alexander came during the Thunder’s series-tying road comeback win in Game 4. He scored 15 of his 35 points in the final five minutes, the most by any player in the five minutes of a Finals game in at least 50 years.

“Those are the minutes, those are the moments when the best players, the biggest stars, the superstars, Hall of Fame players, make their name,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “I want to have that name. I want to have those titles attached to my name.”