Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Praises Steve Nash After Winning 2nd MVP Award

PHOENIX -- Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander matched Phoenix Suns legend Steve Nash with a historic accomplishment on Sunday.

Gilgeous-Alexander was named the 2025-26 NBA Most Valuable Player for the second-straight year, something no other Canadian has ever done except for Nash.

Nash is also the only other Canadian to win a single MVP award, doing so with the Suns in the 2004-05 and 2005-06 seasons.

Nash, who is seen as a pioneer for Canadian basketball, had the honor of presenting Gilgeous-Alexander with the MVP award on Amazon Prime.

2005-06: Steve Nash becomes a 2x NBA MVP
2025-26: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander becomes a 2x @Kia NBA MVP

20 years apart and fellow Canadians, @SteveNash announces this year's award winner, @shaiglalex 🏆 pic.twitter.com/hd4f9lPR26
— NBA (@NBA) May 17, 2026

Gilgeous-Alexander explained just how much the moment meant for him with Nash announcing him as the MVP.

"Full circle moment. He was the first person to really like tell me I was going to the NBA other than my family," Gilgeous-Alexander said of Nash. "It's crazy how life works. You put your head down, you go out there someday, you do it with the right intention, you never know. He saw it early and I just believed ever since."

Shai on Steve Nash announcing him as the MVP winner:

"Full circle moment. He was the first person to really like tell me I was going to the NBA other than my family. It's crazy how life works. He saw it early and I just believed ever since" pic.twitter.com/sKmxaAkeeS
— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) May 18, 2026

Gilgeous-Alexander was later asked on NBA TV what it means to be in Nash's company by winning back-to-back MVPs, which has only been done by 14 total players in NBA history.

"It's special. Whenever you're amongst lists with greats, guys that have done amazing things with the game, the things you dream about, it's always an honor. Always just grateful to be in those conversations," Gilgeous-Alexander said. "Having a relationship with them is also cool.

"(Nash) has helped me a little bit along the way, so I appreciate him as well ... He instilled confidence in me at a young age, like a guy that achieved that high level of basketball in awards and achievements to kind of have my back, and I guess at the time think that I could be an NBA player when not a lot of people did, was just pretty special.

"Imagine as a kid hearing that from a two-time MVP, you probably think his opinion would matter. So hearing that from him was big for me as a kid."

“He instilled confidence in me at a young age.” 👏🍁

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander speaks to his relationship with Steve Nash after the two became the only Canadians to win back-to-back @Kia MVPs!

SGA and the Thunder host the Spurs in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals, tonight… pic.twitter.com/LV7FYNr8Dc
— NBA TV (@NBATV) May 18, 2026

Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 31.1 points, 6.6 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 1.4 steals this year while leading OKC to the league's best record one season removed from the Thunder winning a championship and him winning his first MVP.

Gilgeous-Alexander's Thunder swept the Suns in the first round after he averaged 33.8 points and 8.0 assists, and they now find themselves in the Western Conference Finals, which begin tonight against the San Antonio Spurs, after sweeping the Los Angeles Lakers in the second round.

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