That’s the full list of those who managed to win three consecutive NBA Most Valuable Player awards.
asserted
who → ’ → awards
Nobody has pulled off that feat in 40 years, and the star power not on that list — names like Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar — speaks to how difficult it is to accomplish.
asserted
it → pull → Jordan
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder has a chance to get there this season, whether he wants to or not.
asserted
he → have → chance
His focus — as it has been in past years as well — is on winning and on championships, not on anything of the individual variety.
asserted
it → win → variety
“I’ve just got to be the best player I can be for this basketball team, win as many games as possible,” Gilgeous-Alexander said.
asserted
Alexander → get → games
“That kind of recipe for me in the past has kind of worked, and I’ve been fortunate to win two in a row.
asserted
I → work → row
He is the best player on the team that is essentially the co-favorite, along with the San Antonio Spurs, to win the NBA championship.
asserted
that → win → championship
He’s collected more than 75% of the first-place MVP votes over the last two seasons, and his scoring average of 32 points per game is tops in the NBA over that span.
asserted
average → collect → span
He doesn’t think he’s been at his peak yet, either.
asserted
he → think → peak
“I feel like I’m a better basketball player, more versatile as a basketball player,” Gilgeous-Alexander said.
asserted
Alexander → feel → player
He sees the traits in Gilgeous-Alexander, saying in his preseason news conference last month that greats at that level have “something that separates them from the others that makes them uniquely different.”
asserted
them → see → others
“He has the baseline stuff of his work ethic, his discipline, his character, things that you have to have to be a consistent elite performer in the NBA or anywhere,” Presti said.
asserted
Presti → have → NBA
It’s extraordinary.
asserted
It → ’ → ?
He doesn’t live in a pass-fail world, and I think that’s part of what’s allowed him to come kind of from the back of the pack as a lightly recruited college player to this ascent.
asserted
him → live → ascent
”
The game has changed, and Gilgeous-Alexander is one of the players who has changed it.
asserted
who → change → it
International players have won the last eight MVP awards; if the annual polling of the league’s general managers proves accurate, that run will go to nine this season — since the Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama is their preseason pick to emerge as the trophy winner next spring.
asserted
Wembanyama → win → winner
And with Joel Embiid — the No. 3 pick in 2014 and MVP in 2022-23 — being the exception, many of those eventual international-born MVPs weren’t exactly expected by many to reach that level when they entered the league.
asserted
they → bear → league
Giannis Antetokounmpo, then of Milwaukee and now of Miami, was the 15th overall pick in the 2013 draft; he won two MVPs in this international run.
asserted
he → win → run
Denver’s Nikola Jokic was drafted No. 41 overall; he’s a three-time MVP.
asserted
he → draft → ?
Gilgeous-Alexander was drafted 11th; he’s now gone back-to-back.
asserted
he → draft → back
“He’s still going,” Presti said.
asserted
Presti → go → ?
“He’s got a lot more levels to go, and his mindset, I think, is the No. 1 thing that drives all that.”
asserted
that → get → that
Winning brings individual success as well, and Gilgeous-Alexander knows that.
asserted
Alexander → bring → that
But he often reminds people that things like MVP seasons come because so many people — not just the actual trophy winner — did their part.
asserted
people → remind → part
The best player on the best teams tends to be right in the MVP mix.
asserted
player → tend → mix
And if he wins it again, it’ll be costly: Gilgeous-Alexander has showered teammates with thank-you gifts after his first two MVP seasons, including fancy watches, Burberry coats and much more.
asserted
Alexander → win → watches
“It’s something that I’ve been intentional with, but also just I think naturally it’s just grown because I’ve grown as a man,” he said.
asserted
he → ’ → man
“Becoming a father has helped with that.
asserted
Becoming → become → that
You’re an example for somebody every day and it’s a little bit different in the real world, but it’s essentially the same thing.
asserted
it → ’re → world
You lead by example — and it’s hard to get people to follow you if you don’t do the right things and you don’t walk the walk.”
asserted
you → lead → walk
The Aporia
