‘The Year of Shai.’ Gilgeous-Alexander is the 2025 KY Sports Figure of the Year
The basketball career of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been defined by expectations extravagantly exceeded.
In 2017, Gilgeous-Alexander came to the University of Kentucky as the seventh-ranked prospect in an eight-man John Calipari recruiting class. Yet SGA played so well at UK, he became a one-and-done, first-round NBA draft pick.
Gilgeous-Alexander entered the NBA with the relatively modest projections of the 11th overall pick in the 2018 NBA draft. Yet by last season, the 6-foot-6, 195-pound guard had transformed himself into the NBA’s leading scorer, the league MVP and the leader of its championship team.
Given that history, it should not be a surprise that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been voted the 2025 Lexington Herald-Leader Kentucky Sports Figure of the Year in a victory that defies the award’s historical precedents.
In becoming the 45th Kentucky Sports Figure of the Year, Gilgeous-Alexander, 27, became the first winner honored exclusively for play in the NBA. The product of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, is also the first non-U.S. citizen to earn the award.
Gilgeous-Alexander dominated the Sports Figure voting. Out of the 121 ballots cast by media members from around the commonwealth, SGA was named on 96 and was ranked first (45) or second (21) on 66.
“For those of us who first met Shai at the Derby Festival game at Freedom Hall ahead of his freshman year at Kentucky, it’s simply remarkable to think that that skinny kid might one day be named Most Valuable Player of an NBA championship team,” wrote Darrell Bird of The Cats’ Pause. “He is the epitome of hard work and being your own fiercest cheerleader.”
Alan Cutler of Lexington’s WLXG-AM 1300 and FM 92.5 wrote “SGA is on his way to being the greatest NBA player who wore ‘Kentucky’ across his chest (in college). Plus, he’s one of the best leaders in the NBA. A slam-dunk winner.”
Second in the voting was Craig Skinner, who coached the University of Kentucky women’s volleyball team (30-3) to its second all-time NCAA Tournament Final Four and a national runner-up finish.
Skinner “didn’t just build a program, he’s created a national powerhouse and a statewide volleyball culture,” wrote Kenny Rice, the Lexington-based NBC Sports reporter.
Added James Streble of Louisville’s WHBE-AM 680: “(Skinner) has built the volleyball team into the class of the UK athletics department.”
Finishing third in the voting was the 2024 Kentucky Sports Figure of the Year Award winner, former UK track star Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone.
In 2025, McLaughlin-Levrone switched from her signature event, the 400 meters hurdles, to the flat 400 meters run. Making the move look easy, McLaughlin-Levrone won the world championship for Team USA in the 400 in the second-fastest time (47.78 seconds) ever run by a woman.
“Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is in a space by herself. Her achievements speak for themselves,” wrote Dave Baker of Lexington’s WKYT-TV. “... but the message she shares unashamedly every day is off the charts! Mentoring, servant leadership and her genuine faith are rare finds for someone who has achieved what she has.”
In Gilgeous-Alexander’s one season (2017-18) at UK, he entered the Kentucky program ranked as the No. 33 prospect in the 24/7 composite rankings. He began the year coming off the bench behind another freshman point guard, Quade Green.
Yet by the end of the season, Gilgeous-Alexander was running the show for the Cats. He earned the 2018 SEC Tournament MVP award after dropping 29 points in a win over Tennessee in the finals.
The upward progression in Gilgeous-Alexander’s game that he displayed in Lexington has continued throughout his NBA career.
Last season, Gilgeous-Alexander put together a masterpiece. While leading the NBA in scoring. at 32.7 points a game, he also averaged 5 rebounds, 6.4 assists and 1.7 steals.
Forty-nine times in the 82-game regular season, SGA scored 30 or more points. He went over 40 points 13 times and had four games with 50-plus.
During the 2025 NBA playoffs, Gilgeous-Alexander led OKC to series victories over Memphis (4-0), Denver (4-3), Minnesota (4-1) and Indiana (4-3).
In the tense, 103-91 win over the Pacers in Game 7 of the NBA Finals that made Oklahoma City the league champion, Gilgeous-Alexader did not shoot well (8 of 27). However, he got to the foul line and converted (11 of 12) and finished with 29 points, five rebounds and 12 assists — with only one turnover.
“What makes what Shai Gilgeous-Alexander did so impressive is that he was never someone who started at the top of the lists or rankings,” wrote Joshua Kalb of the LINK nky website. “He steadily worked his way up, earning every bit of his rise.”
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Off the court, Gilgeous-Alexander also thrived in 2025.
Along with Converse, he debuted the “SHAI 001,” a signature sneaker that the Website “Nice Kicks” subsequently named 2025’s “Sneaker of the Year.” On July 8, video game company 2K Games revealed SGA as the cover star for its “NBA 2K26.”
Gilgeous-Alexander was named Sports Illustrated’s “2025 Sportsperson of the Year” and was chosen “Best Athlete — Men’s Sports” at the ESPYs.
Capping an extraordinary year, Gilgeous-Alexander agreed to a four-year, $285 million contract extension with Oklahoma City last summer.
“SGA put together one of the greatest individual seasons in basketball history,” wrote Jack Pilgrim of the KSR website. “Factor in his off-court success ... and 2024-25 was ‘the Year of Shai.’ No one is more deserving.”
Added Lyndsey Gough of Lexington’s WKYT-TV: “After Shai’s historic run, it’s only right that he wins Kentucky Sports Figure of the Year as well.”
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the 2025 Lexington Herald-Leader Kentucky Sports Figure of the Year.
