Shai Gilgeous-Alexander wins Clutch Player of the YearESPN News ServicesMultiple AuthorsApr 21, 2026, 06:39 PM ET
tamil yogi
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s trophy haul keeps growing.
Gilgeous-Alexander, the Oklahoma City guard who is the reigning MVP and NBA Finals MVP, is the Clutch Player of the Year award winner for this season, the NBA revealed Tuesday.
It’s the first of what could be several awards for Gilgeous-Alexander in the coming weeks. He’s the heavy favorite to win a second straight MVP trophy — and because he’s a finalist there, he’s also a lock to make the All-NBA team for a fourth straight year.
“This award means a lot,” Gilgeous-Alexander mentioned on NBC Sports, which aired the award announcement. “To get this award, you have to help your team win games late and what I’m about more than anything is winning games.”
Gilgeous-Alexander topped Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards and Denver’s Jamal Murray to win the clutch award. Murray came in second place while Edwards came in third.
Clutch Player of the Year VotingGilgeous-Alexander led the league with 175 points in clutch times and helped the Thunder to a 20-7 record in clutch games this season.
Player1st2nd3rdTotalShai Gilgeous-Alexander9611484Jamal Murray03318117Anthony Edwards03220116Cade Cunningham1111250Jalen Brunson28842Nikola Jokic161437Tyrese Maxey031524Others receiving votes: Doncic, Durant, LeonardEdwards didn’t reach the 65-game eligibility standard for most league awards like MVP and the All-NBA team — and unsuccessfully appealed for a waiver that would have put him on those ballots — but his candidacy for the clutch award wasn’t affected by that rule.Instead, the finalists for the clutch award were decided by a survey of the league’s coaches. That whittled the group down to 14 names, which were then placed onto the ballot that a panel of 100 reporters and broadcasters who cover the league filled out last week to decide the various awards.Gilgeous-Alexander has been a contender for the clutch award since it was added to the league’s slate of trophies; he was third last season, eighth in 2024 and seventh in 2023.And now, it’s his.”I’m proud I get to hoist it,” Gilgeous-Alexander mentioned. “It means I’m effective out there.”Gilgeous-Alexander becomes the fourth player to win the clutch award, which was added in tribute to Jerry West — the inspiration for the NBA’s logo and the player long known as “Mr. Clutch” as a nod to his exploits when the outcome of games was on the line.
De’Aaron Fox (then of Sacramento, now of San Antonio) was the first clutch award recipient in 2023, followed by Golden State’s Stephen Curry in 2024 and New York’s Jalen Brunson last season. Brunson was a nominee again this year.
Editor’s Picks
For a play to be considered clutch, by the NBA’s definition, these are the criteria: The score differential has to be five points or less, and the game has to be in either the final five minutes of the fourth quarter or in overtime.
All three of the leading vote-getters had compelling statistical arguments for the award:
– Gilgeous-Alexander led the league with 175 points in clutch times, plus was ninth with 21 assists in those situations. The Thunder went 20-7 in the 27 clutch games in which he played, and outscored opponents by 93 points in those clutch situations with him on the floor.
– Edwards shot 56.5% from the field in clutch moments, the best of any of the league’s 19 players that had at least 85 clutch-time points this season.
– Murray was second in clutch points with 166 plus led the league with 30 clutch-time assists.
The clutch award was the second to be handed out this season. San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama was the unanimous winner of Defensive Player of the Year, which was revealed Monday.
On Wednesday, the Sixth Man of the Year winner — either the Spurs’ Keldon Johnson, the Nuggets’ Tim Hardaway Jr. or Miami’s Jaime Jaquez Jr. — will be revealed. The league’s Sportsmanship Award winner will be revealed Thursday, followed by Most Improved Player on Friday.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
✔ today silver rate
✔ 2026 winter olympics
✔ chat gtp
✔ silver rate today
✔ silver rate today live
✔ 2030 winter olympics
Sports
