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Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander won the NBA MVP this week following a stellar regular season. The seventh-year star led the league in scoring at a 32.7-point clip.
Arkansas hilariously tried to take credit for that honor on Wednesday. He has no direct tie to the Razorbacks!
Gilgeous-Alexander was the NBA’s top offensive threat the year, posting a career-high in scoring. He also tallied highs in assists (6.4 apg) and made field goals (11.3 per game) across 76 contests.
His dominance has continued into the postseason where he has the Thunder battling for a spot in the NBA Finals. Oklahoma City has a 1-0 series lead over the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference Finals. SGA scored a game-high 31 points in the 114-88 blowout.
He took a brief pause from NBA Playoff prep to accept his award this week. His MVP speech went viral on social media.
SGA thanks his wife during his MVP speech
“You were the first person to show me what love really meant.” 😢
(🎥 @ClutchPoints )
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) May 22, 2025
It was a moment he’s pursued since becoming a first-round pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. He was overcome with emotion while thanking his wife for being with him every step of the way.
Arkansas took credit for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s MVP win.
The guard played his college ball at Kentucky under head coach John Calipari. In his lone season in Lexington, he averaged 14.4 points and 5.1 assists per game.
That Wildcats team made it to the Sweet 16 before falling by a bucket to Kansas State. Gilgeous-Alexander called it a career after the loss.
Much has changed in the college landscape since his time at Kentucky. His old coach has moved onto SEC rival Arkansas, leading the Razorbacks to the Sweet 16 in Year 1.
Calipari congratulated his former player on the NBA recognition. His new employer then attempted to take credit for Gilgeous-Alexander’s MVP due to that relationship. It sparked an immediate reaction online.
Coach Cal has produced an NBA MVP guard at his last two coaching stops 👀
2011: Derrick Rose
2025: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander https://t.co/JysVUxDzKM— Arkansas Razorbacks Men’s Basketball 🐗 (@RazorbackMBB) May 22, 2025
“Have y’all tried posting about actual Arkansas players in the NBA?” one account asked. “Arkansas flexing a Kentucky player is wild,” said another follower.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has no ties to Fayetteville. It didn’t stop Arkansas from making the conversation about themself. The Razorbacks are taking credit in an attempt to spotlight their first-year head coach’s past success. It offered the most comical response to the MVP ceremony.