Brunson and Gilgeous-Alexander Join Elite NBA Club with Jordan and LeBron

In the NBA, there’s no greater company than Michael Jordan and LeBron James. Both are widely seen as the best players the game has ever known. So when a player joins them in any rare achievement, it’s something special.

For years, only Jordan and LeBron had managed to score 30 points and make 5 assists in 10 different playoff games in a single postseason. That changed during the 2025 NBA Playoffs — and not just once, but twice in two days.

On Wednesday, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander helped the Oklahoma City Thunder reach their first NBA Finals since 2012 by beating the Minnesota Timberwolves. He scored 34 points and had 8 assists, earning the Western Conference Finals MVP. That game marked his 10th this postseason with at least 30 points and 5 assists — making him the third player ever to do so after Jordan and LeBron.

Just one day later, Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks joined the club too. In a must-win Game 5 against the Indiana Pacers, he scored 32 points and handed out 5 assists to help the Knicks win 111-94 and stay alive in the Eastern Conference Finals. That was also Brunson’s 10th playoff game this year with at least 30 points and 5 assists.

Now, the exclusive “30-10-5” club has doubled — from two members to four: Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Jalen Brunson.

Jordan and LeBron each reached this mark three times in their careers — Jordan in 1989, 1990, and 1992, and LeBron in 2015, 2017, and 2018. Both had a maximum of 11 such games in one playoff run, meaning Gilgeous-Alexander and Brunson are just one away from matching that record, and two away from breaking it.

Brunson’s chances depend on whether the Knicks can survive Games 6 and 7. Gilgeous-Alexander, on the other hand, has the entire NBA Finals to chase the record — and possibly win a championship.

But as impressive as individual stats are, both players know that true greatness comes with titles. Out of all the years Jordan and LeBron reached this 30-10-5 milestone, only one ended with a championship — Jordan’s 1992 run. Gilgeous-Alexander is four wins away from lifting the NBA trophy. Brunson still needs six.

In the end, personal records are nice — but to truly stand alongside legends like Jordan and LeBron, winning the championship matters most.