Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has led the OKC Thunder to unprecedented levels of dominance, and there's no denying it. His laundry list of individual accomplishments, including his 2025 championship ring, proves it.
This season, however, could be the year he takes a back seat to the league's newest star.
San Antonio Spurs' cornerstone Victor Wembanyama has always been regarded as a premier talent, but he exploded onto the scene in 2025-26, winning Defensive Player of the Year and leading his team to an NBA Finals Appearance.
Now, Polymarket has him tabbed as the early favorite to win the NBA MVP, and for good reason.
Even leading up to last season's MVP race, chatter about whether the Frenchman deserved the award began to bubble over. Eventually, Shai won convincingly, setting himself up for a chance to enter unprecedented territory.
However, his upcoming quest for the league's Most Valuable Player award might be the toughest yet.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander could have an uphill battle chasing history
If SGA were to win yet another MVP award, he would join Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, and Larry Bird as the only players ever to take home the honor in three consecutive years. Such a feat would further cement his place among NBA elites.
Wembanyama is the clear obstacle in that pursuit, though, and he has a skill set that the Thunder point guard simply can't reproduce.
Last season's Western Conference Finals didn't help SGA's case, either, as Wemby and company went toe-to-toe with the defending champs and bested them in seven games. Wemby had a couple of subpar games, but eventually proved to be too much for OKC.
It was a team effort, but it also felt like a battle between two MVP-caliber players to determine who reigned supreme in the Western Conference, and possibly the league.
Now, the two stars will enter the 2026-27 season with preconceptions about their respective values to their teams. It's undeniable that Wembanyama's sheer presence alone alters opposing teams' offensive game plans and all but eliminates their ability to drive to the rim. Shai just doesn't have that effect on games.
If SGA wishes to defend his award, he must continue to elevate his game, and word has it he's already in the process of doing so.
While playing in the FIBA World Cup, he has been working on his off-ball game, which would present an even tougher defensive matchup for opponents.
If both stars play a full slate of games, the race should be tight, and their respective teams should wind up somewhere near the top of the conference. When all is said and done, the decision will be out of their hands, and it will be up to the media panel to determine whose body of work is superior.
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