'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
OKC Thunder superstar guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander came up short in this year’s MVP voting, finishing as the runner-up to Denver Nuggets superstar center Nikola Jokic. Following Wednesday's MVP announcement, his teammate Jalen Williams offered a two-emoji reaction, seemingly summarizing his feelings about the two-time All-Star's snub.
Gilgeous-Alexander guided the Thunder to the Western Conference's No. 1 seed (57-25), marking a 17-win improvement from last season (40-42). Meanwhile, he was arguably the league's most consistent star. Over 75 games, he averaged 30.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, 6.2 assists and 2.0 steals per game on 53.5% shooting.
Nonetheless, he only garnered 15 first-place MVP votes compared to Jokic's 79, finishing with 640 total points to Jokic's 926.
Trending
Jokic also had a dominant season, nearly averaging a triple-double, with the second-seeded Nuggets (57-25) tying the Thunder in the West standings. Over 79 outings, he averaged 26.4 ppg, 12.4 rpg, 9.0 apg and 1.4 spg, shooting 58.3%.
However, Jokic already won two MVPs (2021 and 2022), while Gilgeous-Alexander sought his first. So, OKC fans hoped the 25-year-old's compelling narrative would help him prevail.
Instead, Jokic secured his third MVP trophy in four years, with Williams seemingly reacting to the news on X/Twitter. The 23-year-old tweeted an expressionless face emoji alongside a thumbs-down emoji.
Afterward, he shared a ClutchPoints tweet highlighting Gilgeous-Alexander's accomplishments, including his league-leading 51 30-point games and 150 steals.
While Williams didn't directly share an opinion on his superstar teammate's MVP snub, it seems clear he wasn't a fan of the voters' decision-making.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander makes history with MVP snub
Upon Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finishing as the MVP runner-up, many cited his strong team record and individual statistics. However, StatMamba put his snub into historical context with a tweet highlighting how rare it is for a player with his accomplishments not to win the award.
According to the outlet, Gilgeous-Alexander is the first player since 1967 to average 30-plus points on the West's No. 1 seed and not win MVP.
Fortunately for the Thunder superstar, he has a prime opportunity to avenge himself in the playoffs. OKC is 5-0 thus far, leading the Dallas Mavericks 1-0 in their second-round series.
Meanwhile, Nikola Jokic's defending champion Nuggets trail the Minnesota Timberwolves 2-0 in their Round 2 series. So, Gilgeous-Alexander has a chance to make a deeper playoff run than Jokic and potentially guide the upstart Thunder to an NBA championship.
