Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has agreed a four-year US$285 million contract extension, the richest per-year contract in NBA history, US media reports said Tuesday.
Gilgeous-Alexander, who guided the Thunder to the NBA championship last month after a campaign that saw him win regular season and finals MVP awards, is now tied to the club through 2031.
The 26-year-old Canadian point guard has two years remaining on his existing contract with Oklahoma City worth US$79.1 million (€67.2 million).
The four additional seasons of his contract extension will see him receive US$62.5 million, US$68.6 million, US$73.7 million and then US$78.7 million in 2030-2031.
The deal gives Gilgeous-Alexander the highest annual salary in the NBA, eclipsing the average US$64.3 million salary of the Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid and the US$62.8 million earned by the Boston Celtics’ Jayson Tatum.
Gilgeous-Alexander was the fulcrum of the Thunder’s dazzling 68-win Western Conference season, before inspiring the team to a 4-3 NBA Finals victory over the Indiana Pacers last month.
The Thunder ace averaged a league-high 32.7 points during the regular season and 30.3 points in the NBA Finals on his way to completing his MVP double.