Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Not Distracted by MVP Discussions

A tale as old as time, song as old rhythm, the NBA is breaking into a fever pitch when discussing who should take home the NBA MVP Award. From the new games played policy to the standard debates, 50 games in this is a hot-button topic.

Oklahoma City Thunder superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been at the forefront of these conversations, consistently occupying a seat at the table. There is a strong argument that Gilgeous-Alexander is the leader in the clubhouse, as his Thunder sit with a 35-15 record.

If the votes swing his way, Gilgeous-Alexander would be the third Thunder player to take home the MVP award (the first since Russell Westbrook's 2017 honor) and just the second Canadian to be named league MVP (Steve Nash, 2005 and 2006).

Despite this uptick in fame and the loud discussions around the first-time All-Star starter, Gilgeous-Alexander refuses to let that be a distraction.

"Obviously I am not naive, I can hear [the MVP talks], now I channel it out and try to focus on the day in and day out. It is what's got me to this point, and I would be stupid to do otherwise. So I focus on the day-to-day for sure," The Thunder guard said following Oklahoma City's 23-point comeback win over the Toronto Raptors.

While Gilgeous-Alexander can admit it would be "up there" to take home the honor, as it would be for every player, his consistent approach has earned him a right to these discussions.

So far this season, the Thunder superstar is posting 31.1 points, 5.7 rebounds, 6.6 assists, a league-high 2.3 steals, and nearly a block per game while shooting 54 percent from the floor, 35 percent from 3-point land, and 89 percent at the charity stripe.

Stiles Points: OKC Thunder Have One of the Best Coaches in the NBA

Want to join the discussion? Like Inside the Thunder on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest Thunder news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.