Bill Russell. Wilt Chamberlain. Larry Bird.
That's the full list of those who managed to win three consecutive NBA Most Valuable Player 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.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder has a chance to get there this season, whether he wants to or not. His focus — as it has been in past years as well — is on winning and on championships, not on anything of the individual 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. “That kind of recipe for me in the past has kind of worked, and I’ve been fortunate to win two in a row. No different for me going into this season.”
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. 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.
He doesn't think he's been at his peak yet, either.
“I feel like I’m a better basketball player, more versatile as a basketball player,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “In better shape, too.”
Thunder general manager Sam Presti has been around Hall of Fame players. 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.”
“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. “But his emotional awareness and regulation is superior, in my opinion. It’s extraordinary. His view is layered. 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.”
The game has changed, and Gilgeous-Alexander is one of the players who has changed 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.
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. 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. Denver's Nikola Jokic was drafted No. 41 overall; he's a three-time MVP. Gilgeous-Alexander was drafted 11th; he's now gone back-to-back.
“He’s still going,” Presti said. “He’s got a lot more levels to go, and his mindset, I think, is the No. 1 thing that drives all that.”
Winning brings individual success as well, and Gilgeous-Alexander knows 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.
If the Thunder are contenders again, he'll likely be a top candidate. The best player on the best teams tends to be right in the MVP 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.
Leadership, to Gilgeous-Alexander, is far more important than trophies.
“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. “Becoming a father has helped with 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. 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.”
See AP’s full NBA coverage here
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander warms up before an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026, against the Milwaukee Bucks in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Kyle Phillips)
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Late in games, Gabby Williams starts counting. She constantly computes math in her head, all while handling the pressure of being the one to regularly take big shots for the Golden State Valkyries.
Better Williams than coach Natalie Nakase, that's for sure.
“What’s her obsession with math?” Nakase inquired when told about Williams' process.
“I don’t do math. I do more like coverages and schemes and seeing people’s energy and more connectivity with our group. That’s all Gabby. I’m not that smart. I’m not doing math out there. I didn’t do math since the UCLA days.”
Whatever it is that Williams does, it's working well during her first playoff run with the Valkyries after coming to the Bay Area for just this: a chance at a championship. Golden State leads the Atlanta Dream 1-0 in their best-of-seven WNBA Finals.
Even members of Golden State's athletic training staff have noticed Williams making her mental notes down the stretch.
The veteran guard scored 26 points in a 68-64 Game 1 win Saturday, missing her initial four shots before scoring 16 of her 26 points in the second quarter. She was the only Valkyries player in double figures as Golden State shot 32.1% and 7 of 33 from 3-point range.
“Yeah, same thing, doing math,” Williams explained of her mindset. "One of our trainers, she was like, ‘In the fourth quarter, you always do this thing and I know you’re going to start taking over, you look at the clock.’ And I’m like: ‘Yeah, I’m counting. I’m counting possessions, I’m counting points, what do we need now, what’s the most timely time to go.’
“I think it’s just like the best way to kind of take the pressure off things, too, is just to break them down possession by possession.”
The Dream had been outstanding down the stretch during their first two series, both sweeps, to reach the franchise's fourth finals. Yet Atlanta is still yet to win a finals game.
Coach Karl Smesko can't wait for his team to find a way to bounce back Monday night. Atlanta shot 2 for 19 in the fourth quarter.
“I just think we need to maintain how we want to play for a whole four quarters. We had a couple dry spells where we just weren’t working together as well as you need to against this defense. They are not just going to give you easy shots,” he said. “So we are going to need to work together to create these advantages.”
Execution is especially challenging in the hostile environment that is Golden State's deafening “Ballhalla” sellout home crowd — with rally towels waving and thunder sticks cracking all game long.
While Smesko was pleased with how the Dream handled the noise, he will challenge his players to communicate even better next time out.
“I thought the environment was great. I thought the crowd was great. They were loud. They were cheering at all the right times,” Smesko said. “But I think when we had a breakdown, it was something that we worked on and we just would have a miscommunication or something like that. ... When we have an opportunity to finish a game, we’ve just got to do it.”
Nakase challenged her team's loyal, violet-loving fans once more to bring all their energy again Monday.
“Great job but hey, level up, right? Like we’ve got to go Game 2, it has to be better. We’re going to ask more from our players. So I’d say, check for Game 1,” she said. “Let’s get a better Game 2. Rest and recover, Ballhalla. Careful what you drink tonight.”
See AP’s full WNBA coverage here
Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese (5) and guard Rhyne Howard react toward officials during the first half of Game 1 of the WNBA basketball finals against the Golden State Valkyries, Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Golden State Valkyries guard Kaitlyn Chen, left, celebrates with forward Laeticia Amihere (3) and guard-forward Kaila Charles as Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese (5) walks toward the bench during the second half of Game 1 of the WNBA basketball finals, Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Golden State Valkyries forward Gabby Williams (1) shoots against Atlanta Dream guard Jordin Canada (3) during the first half of Game 1 of the WNBA basketball finals, Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Golden State Valkyries forward Gabby Williams celebrates after Game 1 of the WNBA basketball finals against the Atlanta Dream, Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Golden State Valkyries forward Gabby Williams celebrates after Game 1 of the WNBA basketball finals against the Atlanta Dream, Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
