Daily Fantasy Heat Check #10: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander won his second consecutive MVP award last season, but his Thunder fell to the Spurs in the west finals. How will he fare this season?
The Heat Check series focuses on players who are “stat monsters,” producers who are cornerstones of all kinds of fantasy league teams and contests.
2025-2026 SEASON STATS
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Regular Season Stats
31.1 points per game
4.3 rebounds per game
6.6 assists per game
1.4 steals per game
Will Shai Gilgeous-Alexander win his third consecutive MVP this season?
Only three players have won three straight MVPs–Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, and Larry Bird. Not even Jordan or LeBron has done it. Does SGA have a chance to breathe this rarefied air?
The greatest threat to this endeavor is the young player responsible for booting them out of the playoffs last season. Victor Wembanyama is hailed by pundits to win the Most Valuable Player and the Defensive Player of the Year awards this coming season. If the alien can stay healthy, the pundits would be correct.
Shai is only entering his prime–this coming season is only his 9th. He is relatively young, and his team is as well. The Shai-JDub-Chet core is intact, and they have a deep roster. It looks like the Thunder are primed for another deep playoff run. Shai has been durable last year, playing a total of 68 games in the season, and has played brilliantly in the playoffs. Had they beaten the Spurs, they most likely would have been a bad match-up for the New York Knicks.
Who knows? SGA might snag that third straight MVP.
For Laki Play Players: HOT! Shai is always captain-material. His team is still intact, and he will always produce whenever he is available to play. The free throws may have been culled, but Shai is still elite at midrange and playmaking.
Traditional Fantasy Players: HOT! First pick material. Durable, consistent, and driven. He will be around for at least 65 games, assuming he’s chasing that rare 3rd straight MVP trophy. Shai knows that Wemby, Luka, and others are primed for MVP-like seasons, and he’s getting ready for them.
