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Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander repeats as NBA MVP

NBA: Playoffs-Oklahoma City Thunder at Los Angeles LakersMay 11, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) during the second half in game four of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been voted the NBA Most Valuable Player for the second consecutive season, the league announced Sunday night.

Gilgeous-Alexander is the 14th player in league history to win back-to-back MVPs. He is the first player to win consecutive MVP awards since Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic in 2020-21 and 2021-22 and the first guard to win consecutive MVPs since Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry in 2014-15 and 2015-16.

Gilgeous-Alexander received 83 first-place votes and won handily with 939 points in balloting by a panel of 100 voters who cover the NBA.

Jokic received 10 first-place votes and finished second in the balloting with 634 points. Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs was third with 589 points and five first-place votes.

Signed to a four-year, $273.3 million super maximum contract extension in the offseason, Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 31.1 points, 6.6 assists and 4.3 rebounds in 68 games (all starts) this season as Oklahoma City went 64-18 and compiled the best record in the NBA.

Gilgeous-Alexander became the first player since legendary Wilt Chamberlain (1963-64) to score 20-plus points in every regular-season game, with a minimum of 50 games played. He also broke Chamberlain’s record of 126 straight 20-plus point efforts and his streak stands at 140 entering next season.

Gilgeous-Alexander, 27, is averaging 25.3 points, 5.3 assists and 4.7 boards in 530 career games (521 starts) with the Los Angeles Clippers (2018-19) and Thunder.

The guard led the Thunder to their first NBA championship last year. Aiming for back-to-back titles, Oklahoma City will open play in the Western Conference final on Monday against the San Antonio Spurs.

Gilgeous-Alexander joins Steve Nash as the only Canadians to earn the NBA MVP award. Nash also won twice, in the 2004-05 and 2005-06 seasons with the Phoenix Suns.

The other players to win at least two MVP awards are Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (six times), Bill Russell (five), Michael Jordan (five), Wilt Chamberlain (four), LeBron James (four), Larry Bird (three), Magic Johnson (three), Moses Malone (three), Bob Pettit (two), Karl Malone (two), Tim Duncan (two) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (two).

Kevin Durant (2013-14 season) and Russell Westbrook (2016-17) also won MVPs while wearing Thunder uniforms.

Jokic, a three-time MVP, averaged 27.7 points, 12.9 rebounds and 10.7 assists in 65 regular-season games (all starts).

Wembanyama, who unanimously won Defensive Player of the Year honors, averaged a career-best 25.0 points and 11.5 rebounds and led the league with 3.1 blocks per game.

NBA scoring champion Luka Doncic of the Los Angeles Lakers finished fourth in the voting (250 points), Cade Cunningham (117) of the Detroit Pistons was fifth and Jaylen Brown (89) of the Boston Celtics placed sixth.

–Field Level Media

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Top Mariners prospect Colt Emerson recalled from Tacoma

MLB: Spring Training-Seattle Mariners at Los Angeles DodgersFeb 23, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Seattle Mariners shortstop Colt Emerson against the Los Angeles Dodgers during a spring training game at Camelback Ranch-Glendale. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Seattle Mariners recalled top prospect infielder Colt Emerson prior to Sunday’s game against the San Diego Padres.

Seattle placed infielder/outfielder Brendan Donovan (groin) on the 10-day injured list to open up a roster spot. The IL move is retroactive to May 16.

Emerson, 20, is set to make his major league debut. He is in the lineup at third base and batting ninth against the Padres.

Emerson is rated as Seattle’s No. 1 prospect and the sixth overall in the majors by MLB Pipeline.

According to the Mariners, Emerson (20 years, 301 days) will be the youngest player to make his Seattle debut since right-hander Felix Hernandez (19 years, 118 days) on Aug. 4, 2005.

Emerson is the second-youngest player to debut in the majors this season behind Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Konnor Griffin (age 19).

The left-handed-hitting Emerson is batting .255 with seven homers and 26 RBIs in 38 games at Triple-A Tacoma this season. He was a first-round pick (22nd overall) in the 2023 draft.

On March 31, Emerson signed an eight-year, $95 million deal with the Mariners through the 2033 season with a club option for 2034.

Donovan, 29, is batting .274 with three homers and eight RBIs in 25 games this season. He was acquired from the St. Louis Cardinals in the offseason.

–Field Level Media

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Astros 2B Jose Altuve placed on IL with Grade 2 left oblique strain

MLB: Seattle Mariners at Houston AstrosMay 12, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve (27) reacts after batting during the eighth inning against the Seattle Mariners at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Astros second baseman Jose Altuve will go on the injured list after exiting Saturday’s game with a Grade 2 left oblique strain, Houston manager Joe Espada told reporters Sunday.

Altuve underwent an MRI exam Sunday morning after he was removed ahead of the ninth inning. During his eighth-inning at-bat, he grimaced after connecting on a grounder to third and did not run out the play, instead walking back to the dugout in pain.

Espada did not share an idea of a timeline for how long Altuve could be sidelined.

“Obviously just not what we wanted to hear,” Espada said. “But we find ourselves having to fight through this one here. So these young players are going to continue to get opportunities.”

The Astros are already without third baseman Carlos Correa, who had season-ending ankle surgery, and Jeremy Pena, who has been sidelined since April 11 with a hamstring strain but could return as soon as Monday in Minnesota.

Altuve, 36, is hitting .245 with four homers and 12 RBIs in 42 games this season. The nine-time All-Star has played his entire 16-year career with Houston, posting a career .302 average with 259 homers and 901 RBIs.

–Field Level Media

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Aaron Rai emerges to win first major; 1st Englishman to win PGA since 1919

PGA: PGA Championship - Final RoundMay 17, 2026; Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, USA; Aaron Rai reacts on the first green during the final round of the PGA Championship golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pa. — Aaron Rai drained a series of increasingly long putts to write himself into the history books and win his first major title Sunday at the PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club.

Rai made a 40-foot eagle putt at the par-5 ninth hole to cap an uneven first nine, then pulled away with four birdies on the back and converted a remarkable 68 1/2-foot birdie at the par-3 17th to remove any doubt.

Rai, 31, is the first Englishman to win the PGA Championship since Jim Barnes in 1919. Americans had claimed this major each of the last 10 years.

Rai’s 5-under-par 65 put him 9-under 271 and three strokes ahead of Jon Rahm of Spain (68) and Alex Smalley. He had started the day in a five-way tie for second behind Smalley.

The first English major winner since Matt Fitzpatrick took the 2022 U.S. Open title, Rai was one of several less familiar names on the 54-hole leaderboard. But he was ranked No. 44 in the world entering the week, with one win on the PGA Tour and three more on the DP World Tour for his career.

He previously had not finished better than T19 at a major.

Rai’s putter was far from the only club working for him. He gave himself 4-foot birdies with tight approaches at Nos. 1 and 11, though he overshot the greens at Nos. 3 and 6 to lead to two of his three front-nine bogeys.

Everything turned when Rai lined up his eagle putt at No. 9. He left in the pin for the downhill, left-to-right putt and it tracked perfectly into the hole.

The birdie at No. 11 drew Rai even with Germany’s Matti Schmid, and he became the first player to touch 7 under all week at the short par-4 13th. Rai’s tee shot went in the front-right bunker, but he got his 39-yard sand shot to stop inside 7 feet to set up birdie.

Justin Thomas went into the clubhouse at 5-under 275 at about 3:05 p.m. local time, and that held up for most of the afternoon as players battled Aronimink’s more demanding back nine.

Smalley, Rahm, Rai and Schmid each held at least a share of the lead at 6 under at some point. Smalley — seeking his first professional win of any kind — irreparably harmed his chances with a messy double bogey at the par-4 sixth and a bogey at No. 8.

Schmid, playing in the final pairing with Smalley and also winless on the PGA Tour, took the lead from him at No. 6 when he got a 19 1/2-foot birdie to fall. But his bogey on No. 10 opened the door for Rai.

Rai was one of the only players who managed to tame the back nine. Northern Ireland star Rory McIlroy could not muster a late rally, posting 69 and landing at 4 under.

Reigning champion and World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler had a ho-hum 69 and finished seven behind Rai at 2 under.

–Adam Zielonka, Field Level Media

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