SGA Wins Best Male Athlete Award At 2025 ESPYs

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (SGA) is winning it all this year. Season MVP, league scoring champion, NBA champion, Finals MVP, and if that weren’t enough, he was also named the best male athlete of the ESPYs, all at 26 years old.

This Has Been Shai’s Year

Before last season began, Gilgeous-Alexander probably never imagined what he would accomplish. This year has been a crazy one for the Canadian, who has placed himself on the list of the best players in the world. Joining the select club of season MVPs and Finals MVPs in the same season, SGA has written his name alongside the greats. That earned him a contract extension that makes him the highest-paid player in the NBA, with a supermax extension worth $285 million that will keep him with the Oklahoma City Thunder through the 2030-31 season.

With this contract, SGA will become the highest-paid player in NBA history, averaging $1 million per game. Entering the NBA as the 11th pick in the 2018 draft, SGA didn’t seem to have the hype of being a superstar, but every path to success is different. His dedication and hard work in the offseason have made his play and quality very hard to ignore.

Final Thoughts

Shai made it quite clear after winning Game 7 against the Indiana Pacers, “We still have room to improve; many of us can still be better.” Now, the Oklahoma City Thunder have cemented themselves as title contenders for the coming years. Their best player is already locked in for the long term, and all the other top players are under contract for at least the following season.

The best is yet to come for basketball fans, as we will be able to enjoy this great player for many more years to come. We will be able to witness his first title defense and see if, with the core team that won the championship, along with some additions in the draft, they can repeat. If the owners don’t start removing key pieces, they could form a dynasty that will dominate the league for years to come.