Shai Gilgeous-Alexander named Clutch Player of the Year in 2026

Oklahoma City's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander wins the Clutch Player of the Year award for the 2025-26 NBA season.

MVP and Finals MVP wins award Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Oklahoma City guard and reigning Most Valuable Player and NBA Finals MVP, has been named the Clutch Player of the Year for the 2025-26 season. This could mark the first of several accolades he may receive in the coming weeks. He remains the top contender for a second straight MVP trophy and, as a finalist, is guaranteed a spot on the All-NBA team for the fourth consecutive year. ## Gilgeous-Alexander shares his thoughts Gilgeous-Alexander expressed his gratitude for the award, stating, "This award means a lot. To get this award, you have to help your team win games late and what I'm about more than anything is winning games." He secured the clutch honor ahead of Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards and Denver’s Jamal Murray. ## Final standings for Clutch Player of the Year Gilgeous-Alexander led the league with 175 points in clutch situations and guided the Thunder to a 20-7 record in those games. Below is the full voting breakdown: | Player | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Total | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | 96 | 1 | 1 | 484 | | Jamal Murray | 0 | 33 | 18 | 117 | | Anthony Edwards | 0 | 32 | 20 | 116 | | Cade Cunningham | 1 | 11 | 12 | 50 | | Jalen Brunson | 2 | 8 | 8 | 42 | | Nikola Jokic | 1 | 6 | 14 | 37 | | Tyrese Maxey | 0 | 3 | 15 | 24 | ## Edwards' eligibility and selection process Anthony Edwards did not meet the 65-game threshold required for most major awards like MVP and the All-NBA team, and his appeal for an exception was denied. However, this did not impact his candidacy for the clutch award. The finalists for the clutch honor were determined by a league-wide survey of coaches, narrowing the field to 14 players. A panel of 100 journalists and broadcasters then voted on the ballot last week to decide the winner. ## Gilgeous-Alexander's clutch legacy grows Gilgeous-Alexander has been a finalist for the clutch award since its inception, placing third in its inaugural season, eighth in 2024, and seventh in 2023. "I'm proud I get to hoist it," he said. "It means I'm effective out there." This victory makes him the fourth player to win the clutch award, created in honor of Jerry West, the NBA logo’s inspiration and famously dubbed 'Mr. Clutch' for his late-game heroics. ## Previous winners of the clutch award De'Aaron Fox, then with Sacramento and now playing for San Antonio, was the first recipient in 2023. Golden State’s Stephen Curry followed in 2024, and New York’s Jalen Brunson claimed the award last season. Brunson was also among the nominees this year. ## Clutch award criteria and standout stats According to NBA rules, a clutch play is defined as any moment in the final five minutes of the fourth quarter or in overtime where the score difference is five points or fewer. The top three vote-getters each had strong arguments: - Gilgeous-Alexander led the league with 175 clutch points and ranked ninth with 21 clutch assists. Oklahoma City went 20-7 in the 27 clutch games he played, outscoring opponents by 93 points with him on the court. - Edwards shot 56.5% from the field in clutch moments, the best mark among 19 players with at least 85 clutch points this season. - Murray ranked second in clutch points with 166 and led the league with 30 clutch assists. ## Recent award announcements The clutch award was the second major honor revealed this season. San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama was Monday’s unanimous Defensive Player of the Year winner. The Sixth Man of the Year announcement will follow on Wednesday, with candidates including the Spurs’ Keldon Johnson, Denver’s Tim Hardaway Jr., and Miami’s Jaime Jaquez Jr. The Sportsmanship Award will be announced Thursday, with Most Improved Player slated for Friday.