31/05/2026
Some sports media analysts are making a bold claim: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has already cracked the all-time Top 10 after surpassing Kobe Bryant in MVP awards.
According to this argument, Bryant should be pushed down into the 10â15 range, while Stephen Curry belongs somewhere between 20 and 30 on the all-time list.
The case for Shai is simple: he's piling up individual accolades at an incredible rate. Some analysts even argue that he was one Finals run away from seriously challenging Curry's legacy.
Had Oklahoma City reached the NBA Finals this season and Shai captured another Finals MVP, the conversation would've exploded, with some claiming he had already caught up to Curry in all-time standing.
But everything changed when Oklahoma City was eliminated. The loss slammed the brakes on the hype train and reignited the debate about where Shai truly belongs among basketball's greatest players.
Is he on a future Top 10 trajectory? Absolutely. Has he already passed Kobe Bryant and Stephen Curry? That's where the argument gets controversial. Critics point to Kobe's five championships, two Finals MVPs, and two decades of elite basketball, while Curry revolutionized the game, won four titles, and changed how basketball is played at every level.
Right now, Shai's rĂ©sumĂ© is still being written. The talent is undeniable, the MVP hardware is real, and his prime may just be getting started. But for many fans, ranking him ahead of Kobe Bryant or Stephen Curry today is a massive leapâone that still requires more championships, more playoff success, and more years of sustained greatness.
