After finishing second in the running for the illustrious MVP award last season, OKC Thunder superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is seemingly out for blood in his 2024-25 follow-up.
From his highlight reel on-court contributions to his overall impact on this top-seeded Oklahoma City squad (35-7), the point guard has found himself playing at perhaps the best rate yet in his highly impressive seven-year professional career and, as far as when being compared to the rest of the league, there's a case to be made that he's producing at a level currently unrivaled.
Don't just take our word for it, however.
Instead, just take a look at his insane statistical accomplishments at the halfway mark of the year, especially the eight key categories in which he currently finds himself leading the NBA.
Stats OKC Thunder superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leads NBA in
**Out of those who have played a minimum of 25 games this season**
Points per game: 31.5
Total points: 1,291
Points in the paint (among guards): 570
Total free throws made: 297
Total plus/ minus: +548
30+ point games: 24
Net rating: 18.9
Drives per game: 21.3
What makes these metrics all the more astonishing is the fact that he's producing at such high-rates while ranking second in the association in player efficiency rating (30.90).
Through this point in the season, the entirety of Gilgeous-Alexander's on-court damage has thrust him toward the verge of entering into two illustrious groups filled with all-time talents.
With his current average of 31.5 points per game, the 26-year-old finds himself on pace toward becoming just the 10 player in league history to post over 30 points a night in three consecutive seasons.
The other nine: Michael Jordan, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Oscar Robertson, Elgin Baylor, Adrian Dantley, Bob McAdoo, James Harden, and Joel Embiid.
On top of this, with the rest of his stat-line reading 6.1 assists, 5.3 rebounds, 2.1 steals, and 1.1 blocks on 53.2 percent shooting from the floor and 35.0 percent from distance the Thunder star also finds himself on pace toward becoming just the second player in NBA history to average at least 31.0 points, 6.0 assists, and 2.0 steals while shooting 50 percent or better from the floor in a single year.
The only other player to accomplish such a feat: Michael Jordan.
All things considered, it should come as no surprise that the Thunder cornerstone is currently viewed as the favorite to (finally) win the 2025 NBA MVP award at -350.
Of course, more than anything, the hope is that during this latter half of the campaign this elite level of play will only continue to help aid in Oklahoma City's winning ways.