Former Kentucky Wildcats star and current Oklahoma City Thunder standout Shai Gilgeous-Alexander claimed the NBA scoring title this season, leading the league in points per game.
After being selected 11th overall in the 2018 NBA Draft following a standout freshman year at Kentucky, SGA has emerged as one of the league’s top players. Now in his seventh season, he averaged a league-best 32.7 points per game, helping the Thunder secure the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference.
Gilgeous-Alexander edged out top names like Giannis Antetokounmpo (30.4 ppg), Nikola Jokic (29.6 ppg), Anthony Edwards (27.6 ppg), and Jayson Tatum (26.8 ppg) to win the scoring crown. He did so while maintaining impressive efficiency—shooting nearly 52% from the field, 37.5% from three, and almost 90% from the free-throw line on close to nine attempts per game.
This marks the first time a former Kentucky player has led the NBA in scoring since the league’s inaugural season in 1946-47.
In fact, Kentucky was well represented among the league’s top scorers this season. Six former Wildcats finished in the top 30: Devin Booker (25.6 ppg, 9th), Karl-Anthony Towns (24.4 ppg, 12th), Tyler Herro (23.9 ppg, 17th), De’Aaron Fox (23.5 ppg), and Jamal Murray (21.4 ppg, 26th).
SGA’s remarkable season also puts him firmly in the MVP conversation. While Nikola Jokic remains a strong contender, the Thunder’s dominance—finishing the regular season with a 68-14 record and a 16-game lead in the West—could give Gilgeous-Alexander an edge.
Beyond scoring, SGA contributed across the board, averaging 5 rebounds, 6.4 assists, 1.7 steals, and a block per game.
Should he win MVP, he would become the first Kentucky alum to take home the league’s most prestigious individual honor. The NBA will announce its season awards in the coming weeks, making this a storyline to watch closely.
