The 2025 NBA Finals are still ahead, with the conference finals underway as teams battle for a spot in the championship series. But in the mix, we have already found our season MVP—Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (SGA)—who edged out Nikola Jokić in a tight race.
By the way, this is not only a major achievement for the Oklahoma City Thunder but also a historic milestone for the Kentucky Wildcats, as SGA becomes the first-ever player from the University of Kentucky to win the NBA MVP award.
Kentucky Fans Celebrate as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Lands Shocking NBA MVP Title
For decades, the University of Kentucky has been a powerhouse in producing NBA talent, sending stars like Anthony Davis, Devin Booker, and John Wall into the league. Yet, despite its rich basketball history, no former Wildcat had ever won the NBA’s Most Valuable Player award—until now.
That changed on Wednesday when Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, aka SGA, made history by becoming the first Kentucky player to win the NBA MVP award. The moment sparked wild celebrations among Wildcats fans. SGA beat out Nikola Jokić in a close race, earning 71 first-place votes to take home the league’s highest individual honor.
SGA makes history
The former @KentuckyMBB guard is the first Wildcat to win NBA MVP
(via @ShamsCharania) pic.twitter.com/GwhmZagChY
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) May 21, 2025
SGA played college basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats during the 2017–2018 season before entering the NBA Draft. He was selected 11th overall by the Charlotte Hornets in 2018 but was immediately traded to the Los Angeles Clippers before eventually landing with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
And what a season he had! He didn’t just win MVP—he rewrote the record books. He led the Thunder to a league-best 68-14 record, averaging 32.7 points, 6.4 assists, and 5 rebounds per game while maintaining elite efficiency.
In fact, he became only the fourth player in NBA history to average over 32 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists in a single season. Plus, SGA is now just the second Canadian to win the MVP award, following Steve Nash.
Wildcats fans are not sitting still after witnessing SGA rewrite history. They reacted wildly on social media, expressing their shock and excitement. One fan wrote, “That’s a wild stat, tbh.” Another Twitter user added, “Wait, that stat is actually really shocking.” Echoing that feeling, a third said, “That is incredibly shocking!”
That’s a wild stat tbh
— Reece Fullerton (@fully511) May 21, 2025
FFB Academy celebrated the moment, calling it “The Kentucky effect
.” Another fan applauded the achievement and remarked, “Kind of crazy it’s never happened before.”
Kind of crazy it’s never happened before
— StockStorm (@StockStormX) May 21, 2025
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Today, Kentucky fans are on cloud nine. Thanks to SGA, Big Blue Nation fans finally have their first NBA MVP, and they’re celebrating every second of it.
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