Kia MVP Ladder: In final analysis, it's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander over Nikola Jokić

 

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The envelope, please. https://trucestaff.com/ad1v8rmhm?key=3c17f25c6a7dcb732026ea694c3eb6a0 We’ve witnessed brilliance from virtually every player involved throughout the Kia Race to the MVP this season and epic efforts from the top two finishers in particular. And that’s precisely what everyone wants to see from contenders for the NBA’s most cherished regular-season award.

This trophy brings out the best among the best, as it should. The MVP is a statement-maker and also states your case for the Hall of Fame. The winner is someone who maintains a high level of performance, endures the rigors of the 82-game NBA season, shows up on a nightly basis, competes favorably against the better players and helps his team win. Not everyone is built that way. The Kia MVP Ladder only has room at the top for one player, and while the faces often changed from October through April, the truth has a way of revealing itself by the finish. In these situations, even one as hotly contested as 2024-25, the winner is deserving. With that said … Congratulations to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Before we salute those on the ladder, here’s a shout-out to Paolo Banchero, Luka Dončić, Anthony Davis, Joel Embiid, Victor Wembanyama and Kawhi Leonard. If not for health issues — and therefore each being unable to meet the 65-games-played threshold for award eligibility — these players would have surely landed somewhere on this list.

And now, a word or two on those who did: 1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder Last ranking: No. 1 Season stats: 32.7 points, 5 rebounds, 6.4 assists His case: His team won. His team won big. His team was dominant all season, won more games than any other, clinched the top seed in the Western Conference before April and will do so by a double-digit margin. No reason to ignore the obvious. The biggest factor in Gilgeous-Alexander’s argument for MVP is wins. It is what separates him from the pack and gives him the slimmest of edges over a player recognized as the finest in the game — Jokić. One very vivid reason OKC won is because of Gilgeous-Alexander. And the unspoken definition of an MVP is how much he elevates his team in the pecking order. In every way imaginable, Gilgeous-Alexander hauled OKC to the regular season mountaintop. Here’s the evidence: Gilgeous-Alexander will finish as the league’s leading scorer, a player who gets buckets virtually everywhere on the floor and does so with envious efficiency. He’ll finish with over 50% in field goal percentage (51.9%), which is uncommon for a guard. He rarely forces shots, is masterful in getting to his sweet spots and led the NBA in 50-, 40-, 30- and 20-point games. As for defense, he’ll be a strong candidate for one of the All-Defensive teams. League-leading scorers rarely make such a two-way case for themselves, so this is very Michael Jordan-ish for Gilgeous-Alexander. He’s among the league’s steals leaders and is stealth-like in how he goes about his business defensively. No one will begrudge Gilgeous-Alexander for winning MVP. He was a strong candidate last season and simply followed up with an even better season. His impact is evident everywhere on the floor and way up in the standings.