The Brazilian soccer stars joined the international chorus of athletes congratulating the OKC guard after he was named MVP for the first time
Vini Jr., Ronaldinho congratulated Gilgeous-Alexander via videoPaul, Gretzky, and Nash also offer their congratulationsCross-sport recognition underscores basketball's expanding global influenceGetty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED
After ending the season as the NBA scoring champion, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was awarded the MVP after he got 71 of a possible 100 first-place votes for the award. That has seen congratulations pouring in for the Canadian basketball star, with several football stars on that list. It includes Real Madrid superstar Vinicius Junior and Brazil icon Ronaldinho, with the duo sending their congratulations via a video posted by the Oklahoma City Thunder on their social media pages.
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Soccer stars showing interest in basketball represents a growing trend of cross-pollination between the world's most popular sports. Vinicius Jr. has previously expressed admiration for NBA players who display similar attributes on the court. The Thunder guard's rise from relative obscurity to MVP mirrors aspects of both Brazilians' journeys in soccer.
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For the Oklahoma City Thunder and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, their focus will be on Game 2 of their six-game series against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Conference Finals. On the flip side, Vinicius Jr. and Real Madrid will be looking to end their season on a high when they host Real Sociedad in the final game of their La Liga season after losing out on the title to Barcelona. will then prepare for the FIFA Club World Cup, with their first game of the tournament taking place on June 18 against Al-Hilal.