Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder has secured his second consecutive NBA Most Valuable Player award.
Charania’s Early Report
The official announcement of the 2026 NBA MVP was scheduled for Sunday night during the Game 7 broadcast between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Detroit Pistons. However, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported the news several hours earlier. Charania revealed that “multiple sources” had informed him of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s victory. He initially broke the news on X and then discussed it on a Sunday edition of SportsCenter.
“Multiple sources tell me this morning that Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been voted as the NBA’s Most Valuable Player,” Charania said. According to Charania, “This means he’s won back-to-back MVP awards.”
Backlash Over Premature Announcement
Charania’s decision to release the information early drew both support and criticism. Some defended his actions as simply fulfilling his role as an NBA insider. Others criticised him for spoiling the official announcement.
The NBA on Prime studio crew also addressed the situation. This occurred right before they were about to deliver the official MVP announcement. Taylor Rooks, the host, made a point of noting that the official announcement would be made during their broadcast. She alluded to the fact that previous MVP winners like Dirk Nowitzki and Steve Nash did not have their wins spoiled in advance. “Just to be clear, the official announcement is happening here,” Taylor Rooks said.
Dirk Nowitzki responded with a quip, “He was a baby then.”
Blake Griffin questioned the timing of the report, stating, “What are we doing, man?” He then jokingly added, “It’s Sunday, Shams. Go to brunch, you nerd. Come on!”
Amazon’s Frustration
Amazon had heavily promoted the NBA MVP announcement. Charania’s early report likely caused frustration for the company. This is Amazon’s first season as an NBA media rights partner, and the announcement was planned for their biggest NBA broadcast yet.
Gilgeous-Alexander’s Focus
With his second MVP award secured, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander now has his sights set on winning his second consecutive NBA Finals MVP.