Shai Gilgeous-Alexander awarded Clutch Player of the Year
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s collection of awards continues to expand.
Gilgeous-Alexander, the guard for Oklahoma City who holds the titles of reigning MVP and NBA Finals MVP, has been named the Clutch Player of the Year for this season, as announced by the NBA on Tuesday.
This marks the first of potentially multiple accolades for Gilgeous-Alexander in the upcoming weeks. He is the strong favorite to secure a second consecutive MVP trophy — and as a finalist in that category, he is also expected to be selected for the All-NBA team for the fourth consecutive year.
“This award holds significant value,” Gilgeous-Alexander stated on NBC Sports, which broadcast the award announcement. “To earn this award, you must contribute to your team’s success in crucial moments, and my primary focus is on winning games.”
Gilgeous-Alexander surpassed Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards and Denver’s Jamal Murray to claim the clutch award. Murray finished in second place, while Edwards took third.
Edwards did not meet the 65-game eligibility requirement for most league awards, including MVP and the All-NBA team — and his appeal for a waiver to qualify for those ballots was unsuccessful — but this did not impact his eligibility for the clutch award.
Instead, the finalists for the clutch award were determined through a survey of the league’s coaches, narrowing the list to 14 candidates, which were then included on the ballot completed by a panel of 100 reporters and broadcasters covering the league last week to select the various awards.
Gilgeous-Alexander has been a contender for the clutch award since its introduction to the league’s awards; he finished third last season, eighth in 2024, and seventh in 2023.
And now, it is his.
“I’m honored to be able to lift it,” Gilgeous-Alexander remarked. “It signifies my effectiveness on the court.”
Gilgeous-Alexander becomes the fourth player to receive the clutch award, which was established in honor of Jerry West — the inspiration behind the NBA’s logo and the player historically recognized as “Mr. Clutch” for his performances in critical game situations.
De’Aaron Fox (previously of Sacramento, now with San Antonio) was the inaugural recipient of the clutch award in 2023, followed by Golden State’s Stephen Curry in 2024 and New York’s Jalen Brunson last season. Brunson is a nominee once more this year.
According to the NBA’s definition, a play is deemed clutch if the score difference is five points or fewer, and the game occurs within the final five minutes of the fourth quarter or during overtime.
All three leading vote recipients presented strong statistical cases for the award:
– Gilgeous-Alexander topped the league with 175 points in clutch situations and ranked ninth with 21 assists in those moments. The Thunder recorded a 20-7 record in the 27 clutch games he participated in, outscoring opponents by 93 points during those critical stretches with him on the court.
– Edwards achieved a shooting percentage of 56.5% in clutch situations, the highest among the league’s 19 players who scored at least 85 clutch-time points this season.
– Murray ranked second in clutch points with 166 and led the league with 30 assists in clutch scenarios.
The clutch award was the second accolade presented this season. San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama was the unanimous recipient of the Defensive Player of the Year award, announced on Monday.
On Wednesday, the winner of the Sixth Man of the Year award — either the Spurs’ Keldon Johnson, the Nuggets’ Tim Hardaway Jr., or Miami’s Jaime Jaquez Jr. — will be disclosed. The league’s Sportsmanship Award winner will be revealed on Thursday, followed by the Most Improved Player announcement on Friday.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
