Thunderclap in Maple Key: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Signs a Double MVP Season for the Ages
The clocks stopped in Oklahoma City when the scoreboard froze at 103-91 and the Paycom Center caught fire in slow motion. Seventh game, seventh heaven. The Thunder—ranked closer to curiosities than contenders last autumn—claimed their first title. And in the eye of this prairie cyclone stood a 26-year-old Canadian with a handle as smooth as prairie wind: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Future Shock: Thunder’s Youthful Champions Poised to Extend Their Reign
The Paycom Center morphed into a celestial nursery—confetti for blankets, “We Are the Champions” as lullaby—and the NBA learned that innocence can rule without a trace of stubble. Averaging just 25.6 summers, Oklahoma City became the youngest squad to brandish the Larry O’Brien since Portland in 1977; no wonder they hunted for a user manual like toddlers searching for a pacifier.