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The NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder and NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander have reportedly reached an agreement on a four-year, $285 million super maximum contract extension, which will make him the highest-paid player in league history based on annual salary, sources with knowledge of the situation confirmed to ESPN's Shams Charania.
"BREAKING: NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has agreed to a four-year, $285 million super maximum contract extension with the championship Oklahoma City Thunder through 2030-31, sources tell ESPN. This is now the richest annual salary for a player in league history," Charania wrote on his X account Tuesday (July 1). "Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has signed two contract extensions now as a member of the Thunder, cementing both sides' partnership and trust since he arrived to OKC in 2019. He joined an exclusive club of players to win the MVP and Finals MVP in the same season."
Gilgeous-Alexander is just nine days removed from being named 2025 NBA Finals MVP after leading the Thunder to their first NBA championship since their move to Oklahoma City in 2008, having previously won as the Seattle SuperSonics in 1979.
The Thunder finished the 2024-25 NBA regular season with a league-best 68-14 record, and swept the Memphis Grizzlies in the first-round, defeated the Denver Nuggets, 4-3 in the second round, and beat the Minnesota Timberwolves, 4-1, in the Western Conference Finals.
Gilgeous-Alexander was also the 2025 NBA regular season MVP, having led the NBA in scoring for the first time in his career, averaging 32.7 points per game on 51.9% shooting, while also averaging 6.4 assists, 5.0 rebounds, 1.7 steals and 1.0 blocks. The former University of Kentucky standout is the econd Canadian to win the NBA MVP award, following Basketball Hall of Famer Steve Nash, who won back-to-back awards during the 2005 and 2006 seasons.