The MVP Debate Is Missing Something — And It’s Time We Talk About Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

What Are We Really Looking for in an MVP?

Let’s start here: Nikola Jokić is playing at an MVP level. There’s no debate about that. He’s averaging a near-triple-double, leading the Nuggets in their title defense, and making the game look impossibly easy.

But MVP isn’t just about who is the best offensive player — it’s about who provides the most total value.

Shouldn’t we be asking:

Who is impacting the game on every level?

Who is carrying their team in ways no one else is?

Who is making their team great — not just when they have the ball, but in every possible way?

When we ask those questions, the answer is suddenly less obvious.

Because Shai Gilgeous-Alexander isn’t just in this race — he might actually be winning it.

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We Love Offense — But We’re Ignoring the Other Half of the Game

The MVP award has become an offense-first conversation. We celebrate triple-doubles, assist numbers, shooting efficiency, and everything that shows up in highlight reels.

But we also say, year after year, that defense wins championships.

So why doesn’t elite defense ever seem to factor into the MVP conversation?

Because if it did, SGA would be the frontrunner.

Proof:

He leads the NBA in steals. Every lazy pass is a fast break waiting to happen.

He’s averaging over 1.0 blocks per game — as a guard. That’s unheard of. The list of perimeter players who have averaged 1.5+ steals and 1.0+ blocks per game in a season is basically just Michael Jordan, Dwyane Wade, and Gary Payton.

SGA leads the NBA in Defensive Win Shares. Meaning? No player has contributed more to their team’s defense this season.

The Thunder have the best defense in the NBA, and SGA is one of their defensive anchors.

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Jokić, to his credit, is no longer a defensive liability. Denver has improved at covering his weaknesses. But that’s just it — they have to work around his defensive shortcomings. SGA doesn’t have those.

At what point does elite two-way play outweigh one-way dominance?

Jokić’s Offense is Masterful — But SGA’s is Just as Deadly

Jokić is one of the most efficient offensive players in NBA history, and his ability to control a game is unmatched. But while we celebrate that, why aren’t we talking about the fact that SGA is putting together one of the greatest scoring seasons ever?

• SGA leads the NBA in scoring.

• He leads the NBA in total points.

• He leads the NBA in free throws made.

• He leads the NBA in points off drives, by a massive margin.

And here’s the kicker — he’s doing it at nearly the same efficiency as Jokić.

✔ SGA’s true shooting percentage is nearly identical to Jokić’s.

That shouldn’t be possible. Guards who take contested mid-range shots, absorb contact at the rim, and create their own offense simply don’t operate at the same efficiency as a 7-footer who lives off layups.

But SGA is doing it.

So when people say, “Jokić is just too efficient to ignore,” shouldn’t that same logic apply to SGA?

Impact. Elevation. Winning. What More Do You Need?

MVP should be about who makes the biggest impact on winning.

So let’s compare.

• The Thunder weren’t supposed to be here. They’re the youngest team in NBA history to be a №1 seed this late in the season.

• SGA has made OKC an elite defensive team. With him on the floor, they allow just 104.9 points per 100 possessions — the best in the league.

• SGA’s net rating is the highest of any star in the NBA. When he’s playing, OKC isn’t just good — they’re dominant.

• OKC is +762 with SGA on the court this season. That’s by far the best plus-minus of any player in the league.

Jokić’s supporters will argue that Denver falls apart when he sits. But is that really a sign of his greatness?

SGA has built a culture where his teammates thrive. His impact extends beyond his own minutes in a way that few stars can replicate.

That’s leadership.

Why Aren’t We Talking About SGA Like We Talk About Past MVPs?

Let’s put this in perspective:

The last player to:

✅ Lead the NBA in scoring

✅ Be an elite defender

✅ Carry a young team to a top seed

✅ Dominate on both ends of the floor

…Spoiler, it was Michael Jordan in 1988.

That year, Jordan won MVP and Defensive Player of the Year.

SGA isn’t MJ. But if the last player to do what he’s doing is Jordan, why aren’t we talking about this more?

This is Not a “Jokić vs. SGA” Argument — It’s a Call to Think Differently

If Jokić wins MVP, it won’t be undeserved. He’s an all-time great. His numbers are historic.

But MVP isn’t about who we’re comfortable giving it to.

It’s about who is actually doing the most.

And if we value:

✔ Elite offense

✔ Elite defense

✔ Carrying a team beyond expectations

✔ Making every player around them better

Then the answer is:

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the MVP of the NBA.

The only real question left is: Are we ready to stop ignoring it?

Sources:

• NBA Stats — Player Leaders

• Basketball Reference — Historical Player Comparisons

• Second Spectrum — On/Off Splits

• ESPN — OKC’s Historical №1 Seed

• StatMuse — Player Efficiency and Free Throw Stats