In a surprising twist, NBA insiders from ESPN revealed the MVP announcement for Amazon early, causing quite a stir among the “NBA on Prime” team. Shams Charania shared on Sunday morning that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander from the Oklahoma City Thunder had secured the MVP award for a second straight year, ahead of Amazon’s planned reveal that evening.
During the pregame show, host Taylor Rooks, along with analysts Steve Nash, Blake Griffin, and Dirk Nowitzki, discussed Charania’s report. Rooks made a point to clarify, “Now, let me be clear, the official MVP announcement will be made here [on Prime].”
Thinking back to their own experiences, Rooks commented, “Dirk and Steve, both MVP winners, I don’t recall Shams spoiling it back in their days.” Nash, who won the award consecutively in 2004-05 and 2005-06, chuckled and said, “It’s a shot.”
Nowitzki chimed in with a lighthearted remark, “I was just a kid back then.” Meanwhile, Griffin humorously criticized the timing, saying, “What are we doing? It’s Sunday Shams, go to brunch, you nerd.”
Later, Charania’s news gained traction as ESPN quickly published a story shortly after his announcement. He even appeared on “SportsCenter” to provide further updates. During the pregame segment, Gilgeous-Alexander reminisced about his first encounter with Nash, saying, “It was my first time meeting someone,” when he shared his NBA aspirations.
Gilgeous-Alexander, who was also the Finals MVP, triumphed over fellow nominees Nikola Jokic and Victor Wembanyama for the award. At the MVP press conference, he was accompanied by his family, including his wife Hayley, son Ares, and father Vaughn, in a show of support.
In a gesture of appreciation, Gilgeous-Alexander gifted a teammate an Audemars Piguet watch and a Burberry trench coat. Additionally, he secured the league’s Clutch Player of the Year award this season.
