It’s official -- OKC Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the NBA’s Clutch Player of the Year.
Once the finalists were announced on Sunday, the numbers for SGA’s case immediately began circulating online.
175 total points in the clutch; 51.5 percent shooting from the field; 35.1 percent shooting from deep; 21 assists to just seven turnovers; 20-7 record in clutch games.
The list goes on!
However, when we as fans look back on this season, it won't be the stats we’ll remember. Instead, it'll be the unforgettable moments that spring to mind.
With this, let’s now revisit the three most noteworthy plays that will be running on a loop for generations to come from the league’s clutchest player.
Clutchest moments of 2025-26 season for Thunder star
The “ankle roller”
Date: January 7, 2026
Opponent: Utah Jazz
Clutch Points Scored: 15
Much has been said about Gilgeous-Alexander’s ankle mobility, flexibility, and just about any other -ity you can think of when it comes to how the body moves.
But this play quite literally breaks modern science.
With 3.2 seconds left, SGA quickly drove right past Keyonte George to get to his spot. While a layup would’ve been ideal, there wasn’t enough time to go all the way -- besides, would it have been as cool if there had been more time?
Just as quickly as Gilgeous-Alexander got past his initial defender, he stops on a dime to lift up for the game-tying shot. As if the shot didn’t look difficult enough while in real time, noticing that he had to double pump to evade a rear-view block, the replay shows that he rolled his ankle trying to come to a stop.
Just another day at the office, though, for the league’s most flexible and most consistent scorer.
2 carries through consecutive double-overtime games to start the season
Dates: October 21, 2025 & October 23, 2025
Opponent: Houston Rockets & Indiana Pacers
Clutch Points Scored: 39 points
The Thunder had two highly anticipated matchups to start the season. On opening night, Kevin Durant returned to Oklahoma City to watch his former team celebrate the one thing he couldn’t accomplish during his tenure. Game two of 82 was an NBA Finals rematch against the Indiana Pacers, albeit without their star Tyrese Haliburton.
Two must-watch games to start the year, and they did not disappoint. Neither did Gilgeous-Alexander.
Both games needed two extra periods to settle who would come out on top. In both instances, OKC was left standing, but it would not have been so had it not been for the reigning MVP.
Across both games, Gilgeous-Alexander scored 39 total clutch points to give his team a 2-0 start to the season. In that second game, SGA had 20 of his 55 points in the clutch, masterfully guiding his team to victory.
What a way to start your title defense.
The Thunder star's ultimate masterpiece
Date: March 9, 2026
Opponent: Denver Nuggets
Clutch Points Scored: 8
March was the month when Shai really started to separate himself from the pack when it came to clutch-time performance. The moment he stamped himself, though, came on March 9 against Denver.
In what could’ve been a preview of the Western Conference Finals, the stars showed out. Nikola Jokić finished with a 32-point, 14-rebound, 13-assist triple-double; Jamal Murray had 21 points and six assists with zero turnovers; and Aaron Gordon tallied 23 points and 10 rebounds.
Now, SGA did get some huge contributions from the likes of Jaylin Williams (29 points) and Ajay Mitchell (24 points), but when it mattered most, the reigning MVP poured it on.
He got his first clutch points on this front-fading, pull-up bank shot over Christian Braun.
After Jokić pulled Denver back within one, Gilgeous-Alexander called his own number again. This time, he worked his sorcery behind the three-point line, discarding the helpless Braun before nailing a clutch step-back jumper.
With the game seemingly well out of reach, a poor foul from Williams after a Jokić triple put Murray at the free-throw line, where he knotted up the game at 126 apiece. But the shot that put Gilgeous-Alexander in an ethereal plane above everyone else for this award immediately followed, as he hit a contested, step-back trey to seal the game at 129-126.
The numbers look good on a spreadsheet, but when we’re talking to our grandkids about what made Shai Gilgeous-Alexander so special in 2026, it will be moments like the ones above that we have our Neuralink pull up for us to reminisce on.
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