SGA and Chet Holmgren earn December Western Conference honors
WELCOME BACK. OKLAHOMA 2025 WAS A HUGE YEAR FOR OKC THUNDER STAR SHAY GILGEOUS ALEXANDER. AND NOW HE’S GETTING EVEN MORE ACCLAIM. THE LIST OF TITLES JUST KEEPS GOING ON AND ON. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED NAMED THE NBA CHAMPION, THE FINALS MVP, THE LEAGUE MVP, THE SCORING CHAMPION, THE SPORTSPERSON OF THE YEAR, THE LATEST ONE. ABC’S WILL REEVE HAS THE EXCLUSIVE REVEAL. AT JUST 27 YEARS OLD, SGA PULLS UP ELBOW JUMPER. GOT IT. HE’S RAPIDLY RISING AS ONE OF BASKETBALL’S GREATS. GILGEOUS ALEXANDER FOR THREE AND HE DRILLS IT. THIS MORNING. SUPERSTAR SHAY GILGEOUS ALEXANDER GUIDING THE OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER TO THE NBA’S TOP RECORD, IS CELEBRATING A NEW ACHIEVEMENT. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED’S 2025 SPORTSPERSON OF THE YEAR. IT’S A COMPLETE HONOR. OBVIOUSLY, THE LIST OF INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE WON IT BEFORE HAVE ACHIEVED AMAZING THINGS IN THEIR RESPECTIVE FIELD. SGA, AS HE’S KNOWN, FOLLOWING IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF OTHER GREATS LIKE SUGAR RAY LEONARD, JOE MONTANA AND SERENA WILLIAMS. THE HUMBLE SIX FOOT SIX STAR SEES THIS AWARD AS A VALIDATION OF HOW HE LIVES EVERY DAY THROUGH SPORTSMANSHIP AND INTEGRITY. THOSE ARE TO ME, THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT GO BEYOND SPORTS AND WHO YOU ARE AS A PERSON AND YOUR COMMUNITY. I TRY TO BE A HIGH CHARACTER GUY IN EVERY SITUATION AND LEAD BY EXAMPLE THROUGH THAT. THE FIRST CANADIAN BORN NBA MVP CREDITING HIS MOM CHARMAINE FOR INSTILLING THOSE VALUES. SHE JUST GROWING UP ALWAYS MADE SURE THAT WE UNDERSTOOD THAT IF WE WANTED SOMETHING, WE COULD ACHIEVE IT, AND THERE WAS NO LIMITS ON OUR DREAMS. SHE DID A GREAT JOB OF OF, I GUESS, PUTTING HER HEAD ON HER SHOULDERS. AND ALTHOUGH HE’S ONLY ONE OF TWO PLAYERS IN NBA HISTORY TO WIN MVP, FINALS MVP AND A SCORING TITLE BY AGE 26, HE STILL FEELS HE HAS WORK TO DO. THAT’S ONE THING THAT DOESN’T CHANGE FOR ME, REGARDLESS OF THE OUTCOME, REGARDLESS OF WHAT I ACCOMPLISH, THE NEED FOR IMPROVEMENT. I JUST LOVE GETTING BETTER AT THE SPORT OF BASKETBALL AND FOR THE KIDS. DON’T BE AFRAID TO DREAM BIG. SOMEBODY HAS TO WIN THIS AWARD. SOMEBODY HAS TO BE THE NEXT ASTRONAUT TO GO TO THE MOON. SOMEBODY H
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren earn Western Conference honors for play in December
The Thunder, who have won three straight games, return to action Friday night against the Golden State Warriors
Updated: 3:16 PM CST Jan 2, 2026
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Oklahoma City Thunder stars Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren are being honored for their play during the month of December. | RELATED VIDEO ABOVE | Shai Gilgeous-Alexander named Sports Illustrated’s 2025 Sportsperson of the YearGilgeous-Alexander was named the Western Conference Player of the Month, and Holmgren earned the Western Conference Defensive Player of the Month honor. The Thunder posted a 9-4 record in December, which included a 124-95 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on New Year’s Eve in Oklahoma City. In December, Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 31.4 points, 6.1 assists, 4.6 rebounds and 1.67 steals per game while playing 32.8 minutes per game. He was 59.4 percent from the field, including 43.6 percent from 3-point range. Video Below: Oklahoma City, fans across the state will never forget the year of sports in 2025The reigning NBA Most Valuable Player currently has a 105-game streak of scoring at least 20 points. That streak is the second longest in NBA history. Gilgeous-Alexander has now won five Western Conference Player of the Month honors during his career.Holmgren averaged 18.3 points, 7.9 rebounds and 2 blocks per game in December. He had an NBA-best 18 blocks at the rim, and his 24 total blocks were second in the Western Conference. The Oklahoma City Thunder have continued their defensive dominance from their NBA championship season. They rank first in the NBA in defensive rating (104.5), first in turnovers forced per game (18.1) and first in points off turnovers per game (24.7). The honor marks the first time Holmgren has been named the Western Conference Defensive Player of the Month. Cason Wallace earned the honor for his play in November. The Thunder, who have won three straight games, return to action Friday night against the Golden State Warriors. The game tips off at 9 p.m. at the Chase Center in San Francisco. Top Headlines Two dead after car crashes into building, sparking fire in southwest Oklahoma City News We Love: Viral acts of kindness, heroism and love that warmed our hearts in 2025 Reports: Victoria Jones, daughter of actor Tommy Lee Jones, found dead Investigation underway after body found in southeast Oklahoma City, prompting large police presence Dashcam video sheds light on case against Oklahoma trooper charged with rape
Oklahoma City Thunder stars Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren are being honored for their play during the month of December.
| RELATED VIDEO ABOVE | Shai Gilgeous-Alexander named Sports Illustrated’s 2025 Sportsperson of the Year
Gilgeous-Alexander was named the Western Conference Player of the Month, and Holmgren earned the Western Conference Defensive Player of the Month honor. The Thunder posted a 9-4 record in December, which included a 124-95 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on New Year’s Eve in Oklahoma City.
In December, Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 31.4 points, 6.1 assists, 4.6 rebounds and 1.67 steals per game while playing 32.8 minutes per game. He was 59.4 percent from the field, including 43.6 percent from 3-point range.
Video Below: Oklahoma City, fans across the state will never forget the year of sports in 2025
The reigning NBA Most Valuable Player currently has a 105-game streak of scoring at least 20 points. That streak is the second longest in NBA history.
Gilgeous-Alexander has now won five Western Conference Player of the Month honors during his career.
Holmgren averaged 18.3 points, 7.9 rebounds and 2 blocks per game in December. He had an NBA-best 18 blocks at the rim, and his 24 total blocks were second in the Western Conference.
The Oklahoma City Thunder have continued their defensive dominance from their NBA championship season. They rank first in the NBA in defensive rating (104.5), first in turnovers forced per game (18.1) and first in points off turnovers per game (24.7).
The honor marks the first time Holmgren has been named the Western Conference Defensive Player of the Month. Cason Wallace earned the honor for his play in November.
The Thunder, who have won three straight games, return to action Friday night against the Golden State Warriors. The game tips off at 9 p.m. at the Chase Center in San Francisco.
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