Could he be the NBA MVP?

On Wednesday night, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander celebrated a significant achievement in his seven-year NBA career: he scored a remarkable 54 points in just over 37 minutes of play. His impressive performance helped the Oklahoma City Thunder secure a 123-114 triumph over the Utah Jazz and maintain their position as the top team in the Western Conference.

Gilgeous-Alexander’s All-Star caliber performance is certainly turning heads, despite struggling with his 3-point shooting, where he made only three out of ten attempts.

He didn’t stop at just scoring; he also contributed eight rebounds, five assists, three steals, and two blocks in the game.

As the NBA prepares to reveal the All-Star Game starters on Thursday night, Gilgeous-Alexander’s name will likely be included. For the talented 6-foot-6 shooting guard, the coveted MVP award may be within reach this year. He placed fifth in the voting last season and second the year before. If he secures the award, it would mark the seventh consecutive year that an international player wins it.

Previously, Gilgeous-Alexander had opportunities to score 50 points in games but often chose to pass the ball or focus on his defense instead. There were instances when he sat out during the fourth quarter to stay fresh for the demands of the long 82-game season.

“It’s more of a mindset,” said Gilgeous-Alexander. “This season, I’ve experienced a shift in my mentality. In the past, I was overly focused on efficiency, which sometimes led me to defer or make cautious decisions. Now, I feel like I’ve moved past that and I’m just playing.”