Table of Contents
- Oklahoma City Thunder (OKC) player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the only NBA player in history with the biggest annual salary
- It’s a super exciting year for the Canadian basketball player after winning the season’s NBA Championship
- He was named the 2025 NBA Finals MVP, Western Conference Finals MVP, NBA All-Star, and the League’s top scorer in the 2025 NBA season
Oklahoma City Thunder (OKC) player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the only NBA player in history with the biggest annual salary following his recent contract extension with OKC termed the supermax deal.
It’s a super exciting year for the Canadian basketball player after winning the season’s NBA Championship (2025).
On top of this victory for the Thunder, he was named the 2025 NBA Finals MVP, Western Conference Finals MVP, NBA All-Star, and the League’s top scorer in the 2025 NBA season.
His performance record in the 2025 season matches that of legendary basketball players Shaquille O’Neal, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Michael Jordan.
The three NBA legends achieved this same record as Gilgeous-Alexander in one season. His success this season makes him an extremely wealthy player in the NBA.
How Much is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Getting from Supermax Deal?
Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. He signed a $285 million contract extension with the Thunder. Photo/BBC
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will earn an annual salary of USD 71.25 million, the highest salary an NBA player has ever gotten in a year.
The supermax contract extension will end after the 2030/2031 season. Insiders in the NBA said this is a record-breaking annual earnings for a basketball player.
Shams Charania, a senior ESPN insider said Gilgeous-Alexander got every buck of the Supermax contract, stating that the Canadian got a good bargain.
This means that he will stay with the Oklahoma City Thunder for the next four seasons. He will be 33 years old when the contract ends in the 2030-31 season.
The entire supermax deal is worth USD 285 million. Additionally, the Thunder NBA star will earn $1 million per game in the 2030-31 season, the final year of his contract.
Changing Fortunes for Gilgeous-Alexander
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander didn’t come into the NBA with the hype of a future superstar. Drafted 11th overall in 2018, he was traded from the LA Clippers to the Oklahoma City Thunder after just one season.
Since then, he’s steadily grown into one of the league’s top talents. Thunder General Manager Sam Presti is confident that his rise is far from over.
Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Photo/ESPN
This latest contract marks the second time Gilgeous-Alexander has committed long-term to OKC, following the blockbuster trade that brought him to the team in 2019.
Fresh off a championship run, the Thunder are moving quickly to secure their core players. While Dillon Jones is moving on, both centre Jaylin Williams and guard AJ Mitchell have signed new deals.
Now it’s the Canadian’s turn — and next in line are Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams, who are also expected to get extensions soon.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had a phenomenal season, putting up 32.7 points, 5 rebounds, and 6.4 assists per game. All on outstanding shooting efficiency (51.9% from the field, 37.5% from three, and 89.8% from the free-throw line).
He was the driving force behind the Thunder’s impressive 68-win season and their championship run. With his performance, he’s firmly etched his name into Thunder history as a basketball star, the highest-paid NBA player per year.
Presti praised his consistent growth, saying he’s impressed by how steadily the 28-year-old has developed since joining the Thunder.
Presti also described Gilgeous-Alexander as an intelligent player on the court using his skills and emotional intelligence to win for OKC.
This, according to Presti, sets Gilgeous-Alexander apart from other NBA players because he knows when to employ his basketball skills and emotional intelligence.
With Shai Gilgeous-Alexander playing for the Thunder for the next four seasons, the club is a major force in the NBA championship.
