Though Shai Gilgeous-Alexander may find himself in a tightly contested race for the 2026 NBA MVP award, there appears to be one specific end-of-season honor that the OKC Thunder stud essentially already has locked up.
His play over the past few weeks has only further strengthened this sentiment.
Since the 2022-23 campaign, the league has singled out one individual as the Clutch Player of the Year, or, as the NBA Communications team puts it, "the NBA player who best comes through for his teammates in the clutch."
So far, there have been three recipients of the Jerry West Trophy: De'Aaron Fox (2023), Stephen Curry (2024), and, most recently, Jalen Brunson (2025).
The Thunder cornerstone is easily shaping up to be the fourth.
Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on track for Clutch Player of Year
Clutch time in the NBA is defined as the final five minutes of the fourth or any overtime period with the point differential falling within five or fewer points.
Last season, Oklahoma City spent the least time in such scenarios due to the fact that they consistently blew their opponents out of the water. Here in 2025-26, however, they rank eighth in time spent in clutch time.
Despite their lack of experience, the Thunder have pulled away from these close calls with the second-best winning percentage in the association at 70.6 percent.
Gilgeous-Alexander has been the driving force for why.
The superstar finds himself leading all players in clutch points per game and total clutch points recorded with 6.5 and 175, respectively, while splashing home on a ridiculous true shooting percentage of 66.8.
Perhaps even more astonishing, since March 18, Gilgeous-Alexander has gone a perfect 11-for-11 shooting when combining his numbers in the fourth period, overtime, and clutch time.
In a rather controversial fashion, he even had one potential game-sealing dagger waived off against the Pistons on Monday after being called for a push-off on Javonte Green.
Frankly, in a rather ironic way, his efficiency and overall production when the game's been on the line this season could serve as strong evidence in the case for his second-straight MVP bid.
Of course, regardless of whether or not he succeeds in becoming just the 15 repeat recipient of the award in league history, this elite level of play should have him beeline his way toward earning his first CPOY honor, which, in turn, would only further deck out his already impressive career resume.