India, June 23 -- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leads the race for the NBA Finals MVP award after leading the Oklahoma City Thunder to the verge of winning their first NBA championship against the Indiana Pacers.

If so, he will be included to a select group of players who have won both the Kia NBA Most Valuable Player award (season MVP) and the Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP in the same season. Only the best players in the history of the sport can accomplish this unusual accomplishment. The chosen group of players who have ruled the league all season long, from the beginning to the NBA Finals, and have also won MVP accolades in the same amazing season are shown here.

Prior to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, LeBron James was the last player to win both MVP awards in the same year; he did so in 2011–12 and 2012–13 with the Miami Heat.

Over 76 regular-season games in 2012–13, he averaged 26.8 points on a scorching 56.5% from the field, as well as 8.0 rebounds, 7.3 assists, 1.7 steals, and 0.9 blocks. For the first time in his ten-year career, he finished over 40% from three and led the league in field goals made (10.1) for the fourth consecutive year. James led the Heat to consecutive titles and won his second consecutive Finals MVP, averaging 25.3 points, 10.9 rebounds, 7.0 assists, 2.3 steals, and 0.9 blocks in a seven-game thriller against the San Antonio Spurs.

In a lockout-shortened 62-game season in 2011–12, LeBron James averaged 27.1 points on 53.1% shooting, along with 7.9 rebounds, 6.2 assists, and 1.9 steals. James scored 28.6 points, 10.2 rebounds, 7.4 assists, and 1.6 steals in five Finals games against the Oklahoma City Thunder, winning his first NBA championship and Finals MVP.

Along with Michael Jordan and Larry Bird, LeBron became only the third player in NBA history to win both MVP and Finals MVP in the same year more than once.

In 2002 and 2003, Tim Duncan won back-to-back season MVPs. He then finished his second season with a strong postseason performance.

That season, Duncan's stats in 81 games were 23.3 points, 12.9 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 2.9 blocks on average. In that year's NBA Finals, he averaged 24.2 points, 17.0 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 1.0 steals, and 5.3 blocks over six games, helping the New Jersey Nets win the series 4-2.

In the annals of the NBA, Michael Jordan is the sole player to have ever won both the regular season MVP and the Finals MVP in the same year four times throughout his career. He won every one of the six championship games he participated in. In 1991, 1992, 1996, and 1998, he also accomplished the double accomplishment.

The Houston Rockets won consecutive championships in 1994 and 1995 thanks to Hakeem Olajuwon, who is still the NBA's all-time leader in postseason blocks per game (3.3). In 1994, he averaged 27.3 points, 11.9 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.6 steals, and 3.7 blocks over 80 games to win MVP. Olajuwon's 26.9 points, 9.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.6 steals, and 3.9 blocks in seven games of the Finals against the New York Knicks came on 50/100/86 shooting splits.

Before winning the regular season MVP award in 1987, Magic Johnson had four straight top-three MVP finishes and earned his first NBA Finals MVP as a rookie. After averaging 23.9 points and leading the league in assists, he helped the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Boston Celtics in six games. Johnson's averages of 26.2 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 13.0 assists helped him win his third Finals MVP.

Moses Malone was traded to Philadelphia following his MVP victory with the Rockets in 1982. There, in 1983, he won his second consecutive MVP with 24.5 points and a league-leading 15.3 rebounds. In the Finals, he outperformed the Lakers by scoring 25.8 points and 18.0 rebounds per game, helping the Sixers win their first championship in almost 20 years.

In only his second NBA season, in 1971, Kareem Abdul Jabbar (previously Lew Alcindor) earned his first MVP with an average of 31.7 points and 16.0 rebounds. Kareem led the Milwaukee Bucks through the playoffs and into the Finals, where they defeated the Baltimore Bullets. He averaged 27.0 points and 18.5 rebounds in those four games, earning him the title of Finals MVP.

In 1970, Willis Reed was the first player in history to win both the regular season NBA MVP and the NBA Finals MVP in the same year. He averaged 21.7 points and 13.9 rebounds during the regular season, and 23.7 and 13.8 during the playoffs. In Game 7 of the Finals, Reed had his legendary moment when he made his comeback from a thigh ailment to start and lead the New York Knicks to their first title.

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