NBA Awards Rankings: New No. 1 in MVP race

OKC continues to occupy the No. 2 seed in a crowded Western Conference. The Thunder benefit from depth and a great head coach, but Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has made the leap from surprise first team All-NBA dude to undeniable MVP candidate. Not only does Gilgeous-Alexander carry one of the largest scoring burdens in the NBA, but he might be the best guard defender working right now. He occupies rare air on both ends of the floor.

Gilgeous-Alexander currently leads the NBA in steals (2.8) with a 32.8 percent usage rate, averaging 30.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 6.3 assists on .534/.313/.913 splits. He can handle OKC's toughest assignments, switch all over the court at 6-foot-6, and erase passing lanes on defense. On the other end, Gilgeous-Alexander leads the NBA in drives per game (22.0), constantly collapsing the defense and instigating OKC's offense.

The 25-year-old has meaningfully upped his 3-point volume compared to last season. He's also averaging the most assists of his career and fewest turnovers (2.0), reading the floor better than ever. He's virtually impossible to stop one-on-one. Gilgeous-Alexander relies almost exclusively on height and skill. He doesn't explode downhill with an elite first step. Instead, he mixes speeds and directions, shaking his defender loose with the subtlest of moves before elevating into a pull-up jumper or gliding to the rim for a layup.

It's rare for young teams to truly contend, but OKC looks like it can trade blows with any group in the West. Gilgeous-Alexander is at the heart of it all. He sets the tone on defense, in turn generating transition opportunities. He's in complete control of OKC's offensive tempo. He probably won't win the award, but it's time to recognize SGA as a legitimate top-five NBA player.