Winner of the Clutch Player of the Year Award 2025-26
The coveted Jerry West Award for the 2025-26 season has been awarded to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder. The voting concluded with a decisive advantage for the player: he received 96 out of 100 possible first-place votes, totaling 484 points. He has now become the fourth recipient of this award, joining the ranks of De'Aaron Fox, Stephen Curry, and Jalen Brunson.
Statistics that leave no doubt
Gilgeous-Alexander's leadership in clutch moments is confirmed by the cold hard numbers. He led the league in points scored in such situations, earning 175 points. His shooting accuracy is particularly impressive: 60.9% from the field in clutch time. Additionally, 16 of his field goals in critical moments put the Thunder ahead — the best in the NBA. For Russian fans following the NBA, these figures are a direct testament to his composure and ability to take control of the game under pressure.
In the race for the title, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander outperformed strong competitors:
- Jamal Murray of the Denver Nuggets (117 points);
- Anthony Edwards of the Minnesota Timberwolves (116 points).
This voting clearly demonstrated how experts evaluate his influence on the outcome of games in the most crucial seconds.
Winning the Clutch Player of the Year Award highlights Gilgeous-Alexander's invaluable role for the Thunder and his readiness to make key decisions on the court. This success will undoubtedly mark an important milestone in his career, reinforcing his status as one of the leaders of a new generation capable of competing on equal footing with recognized masters of the final seconds. His victory continues the trend of young stars taking responsibility in moments that were previously dominated by veterans.