Shai Gilgeous-Alexander sets new NBA record on contract extension with Thunder

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will sign a new contract with the Oklahoma City Thunder after leading the team to an NBA championship. According to ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania, Gilgeous-Alexander has agreed to a four-year, $285 million super maximum contract extension with the Thunder. The contract is the richest annual salary for a player in NBA history.

Gilgeous-Alexander had one of the best seasons in recent memory. The former Kentucky star averaged a league-high 32.7 points during the regular season and 30.3 in the NBA Finals. He won the NBA MVP and NBA Finals MVP, making him one of the few players to win both awards in the same season. The other players to accomplish that feat are Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Larry Bird, Tim Duncan, Shaquille O’Neal, Hakeem Olajuwon, Magic Johnson, Moses Malone, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Willis Reed.

With Shai Gilgeous-Alexander also winning the scoring title, he joined Jordan, O’Neal and Abdul-Jabbar as the only players to accomplish the triple crown of scoring champion, MVP and NBA champion in the same season. Additionally, Gilgeous-Alexander’s regular-season scoring average in this championship season was the highest ever by a player who won the title, according to ESPN research.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander reacts to winning NBA championship

The Thunder acquired Gilgeous-Alexander via trade in July 2019 after he spent his rookie season with the Los Angeles Clippers. During his time in Oklahoma City, the 26-year-old has been named an All-Star three times and is a three-time member of the All-NBA First Team.

After the Thunder beat the Indiana Pacers in Game 7 of the NBA Finals this past season, Gilgeous-Alexander shared his reaction to becoming an NBA Champion. “Yeah, feels amazing. So much weight off my shoulders,” he told reporters. “So much stress relieved. No matter what, you go into every night wanting to win. Sometimes it just doesn’t go your way. Tonight could have been one of those nights where we found a way. So proud of this group. Wouldn’t want to do it with any other group in the world. Feels good to be a champion.”