Drake Surprises Shai Gilgeous-Alexander With Birthday Freestyle as OKC Thunder MVP Turns 28
Drake marked Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 28th birthday with a personalized freestyle after the Thunder guard capped an MVP-winning season.
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Drake and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (via Imagn)
Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous Alexander marked his 28th birthday with a memorable surprise from longtime friend Drake, who performed an impromptu freestyle during the guard’s birthday celebration.
A video shared by Bleacher Report on Instagram showed the Grammy-winning rapper standing before a crowd of guests and delivering a freestyle as attendees recorded the performance on their phones. The post was captioned, “Drake freestyles for Shai’s 28th birthday,” describing the performance as a special birthday gift for the reigning NBA MVP.
For the unversed, Gilgeous Alexander celebrated his birthday on Sunday, July 12. The OKC Thunder also acknowledged the occasion on social media, noting that the franchise cornerstone was born on July 12, 1998.
The birthday celebration came after another standout season for the Canadian guard. Gilgeous Alexander captured his second straight NBA Most Valuable Player award after leading Oklahoma City to another dominant regular season. He became the 18th player in league history to win multiple MVP awards and the 14th to earn the honor in consecutive seasons.
During the 2025 and 2026 regular season, Gilgeous Alexander averaged 31.1 points, 6.6 assists, 5.7 rebounds, 1.8 steals and 1.2 blocks per game. He also posted a career best 55.3 percent shooting from the field while continuing to establish himself as one of the NBA’s most efficient scorers. His all around production helped the Thunder remain among the league’s top teams throughout the season.
The two-time MVP has now recorded five consecutive seasons averaging at least 30 points per game. His ability to score from the midrange, attack the basket and consistently draw fouls has made him one of the league’s most difficult players to defend.
Drake’s birthday tribute also highlighted the close friendship between the two Canadians. The rapper has frequently supported Gilgeous-Alexander throughout his NBA career, attending games and publicly celebrating his achievements. His freestyle performance became one of the highlights of the birthday gathering, with the video quickly circulating across social media.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander previously addressed Drake’s tattoo tribute
Drake’s support for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has extended beyond birthday celebrations. Last year, fans noticed that the rapper had covered a tattoo of LeBron James with artwork honoring the Thunder star, prompting widespread discussion online.
Speaking to GQ about the tattoo, Gilgeous-Alexander downplayed the attention and emphasized their friendship.
I understand why it might seem crazy that Drake tattooed me on his arm. But to me, that’s just the homie.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said via GQ
When asked whether Drake’s decision to replace the LeBron James tattoo carried a deeper meaning, Gilgeous Alexander responded: “Yeah, I don’t know about all that. I don’t ask questions.”
The Thunder guard also enters the 2026 and 2027 season with more individual milestones within reach. After another prolific scoring campaign, he climbed from 326th to 224th on the NBA’s all time scoring list in a single season, a jump of 102 places. He is 642 points away from entering the league’s top 200 career scorers, and another season of more than 2,100 points would move him close to 150th all time.
At 28 years old and entering the prime of his career, Gilgeous-Alexander remains the centerpiece of Oklahoma City’s championship ambitions. His latest birthday celebration, capped by Drake’s surprise freestyle performance, came after another season that added to one of the fastest-rising resumes in the NBA.
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