Shai Gilgeous-Alexander joins Michael Jordan in elite list; achieves rare feat during Pacers vs Thunder Game 2

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander joined Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant in a record list during Game 2 of the finals between Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers

Published on: Jun 9, 2025, 05:59:53 IST

By Yash Nitish Bajaj

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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander joined Michael Jordan, Kevin Durant and Kobe Bryant in an NBA record list during Game 2 of the finals between Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers on Sunday. The reigning MVP, SGA, bucketed a three-pointer early in the game to complete a 3000-point season (regular and playoffs), becoming only the 12th player to do so.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander during Oklahoma City Thunder vs Indiana Pacers NBA Finals Game 2 (IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)

While Jordan has achieved the feat a record 10 times, Wilt Chamberlain has recorded 3000-point seasons five times. Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant have done it once.

SGA is, however, still looking for his first NBA Finals win. Ahead of Game 2, he said: “I said this so many times, I don’t play for the individual stuff. I don’t play for anything else besides winning. I never have in my whole life.”

Here's a complete list of players who have recorded 3,000-point seasons in NBA history:

Wilt Chamberlain: 5 times (1960-61, 1961-62, 1962-63, 1963-64, 1965-66)

Michael Jordan: 10 times (1986-87, 1987-88, 1988-89, 1989-90, 1990-91, 1991-92, 1992-93, 1995-96, 1996-97, 1997-98)

Bob McAdoo: 1 time (1974-75)

Elgin Baylor: 1 time (1962-63)

James Harden: 1 time (2018-19)

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: 1 time (1971-72)

Kevin Durant: 1 time (2013-14)

Kobe Bryant: 1 time (2005-06)

Luka Doncic: 1 time (2023-24)

Rick Barry: 1 time (1966-67)

Shaquille O'Neal: 1 time (1993-94)

The Thunder, the NBA's top overall seed entering the playoffs after going 68-14 in the regular season, lost Game 1 to the Pacers 111-110 after Tyrese Haliburton managed a buzzer shot to put Indiana in front.

“The journey to get here all year has not been about getting to the finals,” Haliburton said ahead of Game 2. “It’s a day at a time, especially after the start of the year. And it’s hard — we have social media and friends and family that tell us all the numbers of if you can win the two games at home, whatever it will look like, or on the road or whatever the case.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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