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Oklahoma City Thunder: Does Kendrick Perkins Think that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the Best Player?

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Glenn Kaplan | Last updated Mar 10, 2026 1:59 PM ET

The Oklahoma City Thunder had another crazy game on Monday night against the Denver Nuggets. Oklahoma City won over Denver by a final score of 129-126. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander proved once again why he might win the MVP for the second straight season. He scored 35 points, grabbed nine rebounds, and recorded 15 assists in the game.

Gilgeous-Alexander was one rebound shy of a triple-double. With him winning the MVP a season ago, there is a chance that he could win it again for the second straight season. The Thunder also have a chance to win back-to-back NBA championships.

For the third straight season potentially, Oklahoma City could be the number one seed in the Western Conference. They currently have a 51-15 record. On Tuesday, there were a lot of NBA analysts debating whether or not he is currently the best player in the league.

Kendrick Perkins Believes That Oklahoma City Thunder Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Is the Best Player

Mar 9, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) is hit in the face by Denver Nuggets guard Christian Braun (0) after shooting during the second half at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Kendrick Perkins, an NBA analyst for ESPN, was on the show First Take on Tuesday morning talking about whether or not Gilgeous-Alexander's performance locked up another MVP trophy for him on Monday night. Perkins said, "the best player in the world."

This is not a surprise because in 54 games in 2025-2026, Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 31.7 PPG, 4.5 RPG, and 6.6 APG. He is second in the NBA in points per game and 14th in the NBA in assists per game. What also helps is that he is leading his team to another one seed once again in a tough Western Conference.

There are debates about whether or not he or Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets is the best player in the world. They both put up great stat lines. However, Perkins is probably right that Gilgeous-Alexander for now is the best player.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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