The reigning NBA MVP that also led the Oklahoma City Thunder to a championship title has just made financial history. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has agreed to a four-year, $285 million super max extension that ties him to the Thunder through 2030-31, according to ESPN. The deal does not kick in until 2027-28, but SGA’s new $71.25 million annual salary is the richest for a player in NBA history.
Gilgeous-Alexander became the first player to win the NBA’s scoring title and an NBA title in the same season since Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal did so in 2000, and became the fourth player to win a scoring title, NBA MVP and Finals MVP in the same season, joining O’Neal, Michael Jordan and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
SGA’s 32.7 points per game set a record for the most in a title-winning season all time, and he joined Jordan in being the only players to have a season where they averaged 32 points per game, six assists per game and shot 50% from the field.
Back in 2019, SGA was traded to the Thunder from the Los Angeles Clippers in a deal where he wasn’t even the headliner. At the time, it was the Paul George trade, as the Clippers sent Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari and five first-round picks among assets for George. However, it was Gilgeous-Alexander that would go on to spearhead a championship run.
This is a developing story.
