LeBron James says one Shai Gilgeous-Alexander MVP question should not be asked

Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

LeBron James says one Shai Gilgeous-Alexander MVP question should not be asked

Originally posted on HITC | By Filipe Guedes | Last updated May 21, 2026 4:47 PM ET

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s second consecutive MVP did not come without debate, even after another outstanding regular season with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Many fans felt Nikola Jokic or Victor Wembanyama had stronger individual cases, especially because Gilgeous-Alexander played on a deeper Thunder roster.

But the voters disagreed, giving SGA 83 out of 100 first-place votes, and LeBron James sees no real controversy in the outcome.

LeBron says nobody can question Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s MVP repeat

Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Speaking on the “Mind the Game” podcast alongside Steve Nash, James said Gilgeous-Alexander had earned the right to retain the award this season.

“I think he’s very deserving and nobody can sit here and be like, ‘How the hell did Shai win again?’ Like, nobody can sit here and say that,” James stated (via NBA Courtside).

That opinion carries extra weight because the four-time NBA champion faced Gilgeous-Alexander directly in the playoffs, when the Thunder swept the Lakers in the conference semifinals.

James claimed SGA forces every defense to build their plan around him, because his scoring and decision-making shape each possession.

The 41-year-old added: “He does things to a defense, does things to opposing teams that you have to simply account for.

“He’s number one and two and three on that scouting report, you know, and he’s the head of the snake.”

That is possibly the strongest answer to the MVP debate for Shai’s fans. Jokic and Wembanyama both had remarkable seasons, but Gilgeous-Alexander controlled winning at the highest level.

This article first appeared on HITC and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: