In a year overflowing with exceptional performances from Canadian athletes, one name soared above all others. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been named Postmedia's Athlete of the Year for 2025, a title earned through a historic, trophy-laden campaign that cemented his status as a global basketball icon.
A Historic Season for the Ages
The Oklahoma City Thunder guard, hailing from Toronto and raised in Hamilton, orchestrated one of the most dominant individual years in Canadian sports history. His 2025 resume is staggering: NBA Most Valuable Player, NBA champion, Finals MVP, and the league's scoring title with an average of 32.7 points per game. This elite quartet of achievements places him alongside legends Michael Jordan, Shaquille O'Neal, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the only players to accomplish the feat in a single season.
Gilgeous-Alexander's supremacy powered the Thunder to a remarkable 68-win regular season, a record surpassed by only four teams in NBA history. His efficiency was otherworldly; he sat out 17 fourth quarters due to Oklahoma City's frequent blowout victories, making his scoring average even more impressive. His performance made him the unanimous choice for the honour, lapping a field of other worthy Canadian contenders.
The Path to Greatness: From Hamilton to the NBA Summit
The 2025 explosion was the culmination of a steady, relentless climb. Even before this landmark year, Gilgeous-Alexander had established himself as a premier player, finishing second in MVP voting in 2024 and earning back-to-back All-NBA First Team selections. He had already revived the Thunder franchise, leading them from 40 to 58 wins and back into the playoffs.
His journey to the pinnacle was not a straight line. A late bloomer from Hamilton, he accepted a bench role at the University of Kentucky before forcing his way into the spotlight. Drafted 11th overall in 2018, he was traded twice in his first two years—moves now considered among the worst in sports history. These early career pivots only fueled his legendary work ethic, which teammates describe as a scientific dissection of the game through endless film study.
Playoff Dominance and Unanimous Acclaim
The 2025 playoffs were his ultimate proving ground. After a first-round sweep of Memphis, Gilgeous-Alexander faced his chief rival, three-time MVP Nikola Jokic, in a classic second-round series. He rose to the occasion, delivering 35 efficient points in a decisive Game 7 victory. He was named unanimous Western Conference Finals MVP after dispatching Minnesota, a honour announced just days after he secured the league MVP award with 71 first-place votes to Jokic's 29.
The finale was a thrilling seven-game battle against the Indiana Pacers for the championship. Gilgeous-Alexander was the high scorer in five of those games, capping the series with 29 points, 12 assists, and only one turnover in the championship-clinching Game 7 to secure Finals MVP honours. Through it all, he remained famously humble, consistently crediting his teammates for the collective success.
Fellow Canadian basketball legend Steve Nash, whom Gilgeous-Alexander joined as the only Canadians to win the NBA MVP, praised the season as "unfathomable." Nash stated, "He's pushing boundaries as to what's possible, individually and as a nation … A very, very special player, an incredible season."
Looking Ahead: A Legacy Still Being Written
Now 27, Gilgeous-Alexander shows no signs of slowing down. In the current season, he is again averaging over 32 points per game and ranks near the top of advanced statistical leaderboards, setting the stage for another potential MVP duel with Jokic. Despite injuries to key teammates like Jalen Williams, his Thunder squad remains a favourite to win back-to-back titles, a feat not accomplished in nearly a decade.
If he leads Oklahoma City to a repeat championship, Gilgeous-Alexander will undoubtedly be in contention to defend his Postmedia Athlete of the Year title. However, surpassing the sheer magnitude of his accomplishments in 2025—a year where he ascended from star to legend—will be a monumental challenge. For now, the title is a fitting tribute to a Canadian athlete who delivered a year for the history books.
