On July 16, 2025, NBA superstar Shai Gilgeous‑Alexander was honored with the Best Male Athlete award at the 33rd annual ESPY Awards held at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. The recognition capped a truly extraordinary year: at just 27, Gilgeous‑Alexander led the Oklahoma City Thunder to their first-ever NBA Championship, earning Finals MVP, while also securing the regular-season scoring title and the NBA’s Most Valuable Player award.
Throughout the season, Gilgeous‑Alexander established himself among basketball’s elite. He averaged a career-high 32.7 points per game in the regular season—the most by any player that year—and nearly 30 points per game in the playoffs, propelling Oklahoma City past a tough seven-game Finals series. His campaign marked him as only the fourth player in NBA history to win MVP, Finals MVP, and a scoring title in the same season.
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The ESPY ceremony featured a memorable moment when Gilgeous‑Alexander’s acceptance speech was briefly bleeped by the live broadcast after what appeared to be a slip of the tongue. He laughed it off, restarted his remarks, and thanked his wife Hailey Summers, his family, friends, and teammates for their support throughout the journey.
He earned the ESPY over other top-tier nominees, including NFL quarterback Josh Allen, MLB superstar Shohei Ohtani, and NFL running back Saquon Barkley—highlighting the broad recognition of his dominant performance across professional sports.
Gilgeous‑Alexander also took home the award for Best NBA Player—a dual honor that underscored the scope of his achievements during a historic season for both himself and the Oklahoma City Thunder.
At just 27 and hailing from Toronto, Gilgeous‑Alexander continues to elevate the game while rewriting the Oklahoma City franchise narrative. His breakout season positions him as a defining figure in men’s sports and deepens speculations about his potential legacy among the all-time greats.