Shai Gilgeous-Alexander reacts to winning 2025-26 Clutch Player of the Year

In the fourth quarter of games, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander followed one of two arcs — either he kicked his feet up to relax as the final dozen minutes played out or he tied Superman's cape around his shoulders to carry the reigning NBA champions to the finish line. The NBA recognized the latter. Gilgeous-Alexander was named the 2025-26 Clutch Player of the Year award winner.

He ran away with the trophy with 484 voting points — 96 first-place votes and one vote each for second-place and third-place. The NBA defines the clutch as a five-point game within the final five minutes of regulation. In those scenarios, Gilgeous-Alexander was a one-man scoring machine.

The walking 30-point bucket led the league in clutch scoring at 175 points on 51. 5% shooting. He also led the league with 16 go-ahead field goals in those high-stress situations.

Add Clutch Player of the Year to Gilgeous-Alexander's stuffed trophy case. While the NBA's latest honor strengthens his all-time resume, he has his eyes on a bigger prize — possibly back-to-back MVP trophies. We'll see when that's announced, but in the meantime, here's what he had to say about his newest award: On winning Clutch Player of the Year "It’s amazing.