Shai Gilgeous-Alexander sidelined until after NBA All-Star break with abdominal injury

Oklahoma City Thunder superstar and reigning NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will be out until after the All-Star break due to an abdominal injury, the team announced Wednesday.

The Thunder said Gilgeous-Alexander suffered the injury in Oklahoma City’s blowout win Tuesday against the Orlando Magic. The news came shortly after initial reports that the Thunder had traded for Philadelphia 76ers guard Jared McCain. The team added that Gilgeous-Alexander will be reevaluated after the break. The Thunder’s first game after the break is Feb. 20 against the Brooklyn Nets.

Gilgeous-Alexander was elected as a starter in the All-Star Game, so his injury will force commissioner Adam Silver to add another player to the roster, likely one who can represent Team World, to replace the Canadian.

Gilgeous-Alexander is once again a favorite for MVP, along with the Denver Nuggets’ Nikola Jokić. The Thunder star has played in all but two of Oklahoma City’s games this season, leading the Thunder to a league-best 40-11 record and giving them a six-game lead in the Western Conference.

Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 31.4 points, 6.4 assists, 4.4 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game. While his per-game statistics are slightly down from last season, he is scoring more efficiently in 2025-26, posting 67.0 percent true shooting, which accounts for the extra value of 3-pointers and attempted free throws.

Between this season and last, the Thunder have played just eight games without Gilgeous-Alexander, going 7-1. The Nuggets recently played 16 games without Jokić, going 10-6 over that span.