Dwyane Wade had a legendary career, but there’s one thing he never achieved—an MVP award. Well, he was good enough to have his name amongst the best shooting guards like Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan! However, despite this, he always fell short in the voting. His best shot came in 2009, but even leading the league in scoring wasn’t enough. Now, with years of experience behind him, Wade has some advice for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (SGA), who’s making a strong case for MVP this season.

Right now, the MVP race is heating up, and it’s coming down to two names—SGA and Nikola Jokić. SGA has been on fire, leading the league in scoring and pushing the Thunder to the top of the West. However, the question still remains- will he be able to hold off Jokić? The man is already a three-time MVP! Moreover, he is having a great season too! Just recently Jokić made history by achieving the score of 30-20-20! So what can SGA even do to shake off Jokić? It seems Wade has the answer. 

Just recently, Dwyane Wade was discussing the MVP situation in his Podcast. While he agreed that there is no doubt that SGA deserves the MVP, he also has a warning for the young talent! He stated, “This is the time of the year where you lose MVP.” He’s seen it happen before. “We’ve watched certain MVPs get hunted down towards the end of the year.” According to Wade, as we start to head towards the end of the year, the pressure starts building up, which means every mistake will be magnified. Voters start watching more closely, looking for reasons to change their minds. Now it remains up to the 3× NBA All-Star to keep his form going.

So, what does SGA need to do? According to Wade, it’s simple, “SGA has to finish it out”. “Because you watch past MVPs lose the MVP towards the end of the year when it’s winning time.” The award isn’t given out in February; it’s decided in those final games when every moment matters. “You don’t hear about this until the playoffs sometimes,” he added. The MVP race is far from over. Will SGA prove he’s the best? Or will Jokić swoop in to take the throne? Only time will tell.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is dialed up for the “championship”

Before the All-Star Game, Giannis Antetokounmpo had a simple request for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. “Just shake my hand,” he said. “I just want a little bit of aura.” That is a huge flex for anyone. It’s a compliment coming straight from one of the best players in the world! That speaks volumes about how much respect Gilgeous-Alexander has earned.

But does he care about the attention? Not really. His focus is locked on one thing. “Championship or bust,” he said. “If we don’t win, it’s a failure.”

That sums up his mindset perfectly. He’s putting up career-best numbers, leading the league in scoring, and competing with Nikola Jokić for MVP. Yet, if there’s no championship at the end of the road, it’s all meaningless to him.

Many stars lose themselves in fame, but Gilgeous-Alexander isn’t one of them. Thunder coach Mark Daigneault pointed out that most superstars eventually create distance from their team. But not him. He remains present, engaged, and focused. This point is something even Dwyane Wade agrees with. Praising SGA’s leadership he stated, “He must be building something because they want to follow. They want to be around him.”

His journey hasn’t been smooth, either. He wasn’t a high school standout from day one—he didn’t even make the varsity team as a freshman. What else? He was the lowest-ranked recruit at Kentucky! Moreover, he even got traded after just one season with the Clippers! At every stage, people overlooked him. It’s great to see him turning things around for himself. What else can it be if not sheer hard work and talent?

Now, he’s making sure no one forgets his name. The Thunder are no longer just a playoff team- they’re serious contenders. And if things go his way, an MVP trophy won’t be the only thing he lifts this year.