5 ways Shai Gilgeous-Alexander can win 2024-25 NBA MVP

4. Lead Thunder to a top-three record in the Western Conference

And here we are again, back on the trend of mentioning things Shai Gilgeous-Alexander already did last year. Still, like the others listed today, this goal will prove to be incredibly important in his push for MVP.

Since 2014-15, there have been 10 MVPs selected and, of this collection, eight were seen guiding their teams to a top-three record in their respective conference.

It's quite evident that, over the last decade, team success has played a major role in determining how awards season ultimately shakes out.

Fortunately, the Thunder surprisingly managed to improve their overall talent pool this summer after coming off a 57-win campaign and registering as the top seed out West, so accomplishing this particular goal may not be as hard as it would be for players in a different situation.

5. Play in 65+ games

With the recent league policy changes, arguably the most important goal for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and, frankly, for any candidate in the running for NBA MVP heading into 2024-25 is to see in-game action in 65 or more games.

Implemented last season, this game count is the minimum number a player can participate in to be eligible for any major awards or end-of-season teams (All-NBA, All-Defensive, etc.).

Throughout his six-year professional career, the Thunder star has found himself surpassing this threshold on four occasions, which bodes well for his odds of doing so yet again. That said, it must be noted that half of his professional tenure has seen sub-70 game seasons played and, in turn, dangerously close at batting .500 when it comes to reaching said minimum.