Reigning NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has agreed to a four-year, $285 million super max extension that ties him to the Oklahoma City Thunder through 2030-31. Per ESPN, the deal does not kick in until 2027-28, but Gilgeous-Alexander’s new annual average of $71.25 million per season marks the highest in NBA history.

Gilgeous-Alexander was selected by the Charlotte Hornets with the 11th pick of the 2018 NBA Draft and was traded  on draft night to the Los Angeles Clippers. After averaging 10.8 points a game in his rookie campaign, he was sent to Oklahoma City as part of the blockbuster Paul George deal.

Gilgeous-Alexander, 26, led the Thunder to their first NBA championship with a seven-game victory over the Indiana Pacers. He averaged 30.3 points a game in the series and named the Finals MVP. During the regular season, Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 32.1 points per game, including a streak in which he scored 20 or more points in 72 consecutive games. He also averaged five rebounds and a career-high 6.4 assists. He also won the regular-season MVP and led the league in scoring – becoming the fourth player to win a scoring title, NBA MVP and Finals MVP in the same season, joining Shaquille O’Neal, Michael Jordan and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

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