Two-time reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander believes he stands alone in the NBA's upper echelon.
"I think I'm the best player in the NBA," the Oklahoma City Thunder star told TIME Magazine's Sean Gregory.
"I think the production that I have night in and night out is best-player-in-the-NBA production. I think the efficiency that I do it at is best-player-in-the-NBA efficiency."
The four-time All-Star was second in scoring last season with 31.1 points in 31.1 minutes per game as the Thunder made a habit of resting starters courtesy of the NBA's top margin of victory (11.1 points). His league-best 33.7 points per 36 minutes surpassed Luka Doncic (33.5), who won the scoring title.
Gilgeous-Alexander registered the most win shares in the NBA (15.2) in 2025-26 and posted a career-best 59.7% effective field-goal percentage with career highs in field-goal (55.3%) and 3-point percentage (38.6%). Oklahoma City compiled the league's best record at 64-18. He also broke Wilt Chamberlain's long-standing record for most consecutive games with 20 or more points in March by meeting that threshold in 125 straight contests.
The 28-year-old is one of four players to win regular-season MVP, a scoring title, and Finals MVP in the same season after leading the Thunder to the title in 2025. The other three are Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Jordan, and Shaquille O'Neal.
"I think everybody picks up a basketball or a soccer ball or a football or a tennis ball to win the game, the match, whatever it is. And I've done my fair share of winning in these past couple years," Gilgeous-Alexander added.
Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder have recorded the most regular-season victories in the NBA across the last three campaigns (189), winning 76.8% of their games.
