Though the debate continues to rage as to who the best player in the NBA is, only one player has the title of "reigning NBA MVP," and that is Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The 27-year-old just put together a season for the ages in 2024-25, leading the NBA in scoring, gathering MVP honors, and also leading the Thunder to a dominant NBA championship run. On the whole, Gilgeous-Alexander averaged a whopping 32.7 points per game while adding 6.4 assists, 5.0 rebounds, and 2.7 stocks per contest, and his ascent has been incredibly satisfying to watch from afar.
With that said, Gilgeous-Alexander does not quite have the public cache of some other former MVPs. While some of that likely stems from the reality that he plays in a small market, Gilgeous-Alexander is also quite mild-mannered and, with the exception of a well-chronicled enjoyment of fashion, he seems to keep to himself. In fact, Gilgeous-Alexander recently sat down for an interview with Yang-Yi Goh of GQ, and it was wide-ranging in scope.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said no one talks trash to him
One portion that drew attention was Gilgeous-Alexander perhaps inviting additional trash talk from his opponents this season. Obviously, he would already be a target given his perch at the top of the league, but SGA made it clear that, at least to date, no one really comes for him when it comes to trash talk.
“Guys don’t really talk shit to me,” Gilgeous-Alexander shared with GQ. “I don’t do nothing that warrants talking shit. I go out there, I have 30, we win, I go home. I’m not out there doing crazy stuff.”
That approach does make sense because, as Shai notes, he does have consistency with his performance, and he also does not seem to give it back to opponents when they might go after him. Still, saying this into a microphone, coupled with his MVP and championship runs, could serve as a beacon for trash-talkers around the league to up their game.
Beyond that, Shai's teammate, Oklahoma City Thunder big man Chet Holmgren, did his part to add some mild fuel to the fire with a quote of his own.
“Shai’s the scariest type of person to play against,” Holmgren said. "Because no matter what you do or say, you can’t even get a reaction out of the guy. He just goes out there and kills.”
In the grand scheme, it is not as if players around the league are going to physically (or metaphorically) line up to go after Gilgeous-Alexander that much more than any other player. However, these quotes could certainly make the rounds in the near future, and some of the league's most chatty players might take it as a badge of honor if they are able to make SGA crack in a way that no one has been able to.
The Thunder open the 2025-26 regular season with a nationally televised home game against Kevin Durant, Amen Thompson, Alperen Sengun, and the Houston Rockets on Tuesday, Oct. 21. That night will be headlined by Oklahoma City accepting their championship rings, but it also could be the first evening of a new focus on Gilgeous-Alexander, both as the reigning MVP and also as a player that opponents might be barking at a little more than usual.