In his sixth NBA season, Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is finally getting the recognition he deserves. He has led the Thunder to first place in the Western Conference, and he is in the running for the regular season MVP award.
He’s second in the league in scoring at 31.1 points per game and first in steals at 2.1 per game. Despite his slender frame, he’s fourth in free-throw attempts per game.
Even though Oklahoma City lost to the Indiana Pacers 121-111 on Tuesday, Gilgeous-Alexander scored exactly 30 points, setting a new franchise record for most 30-point games in a single season. It was his 48th such performance this season, breaking the Thunder record held by Kevin Durant.
The Thunder hold a 45-20 record and have 17 games left in the regular season, which will give Gilgeous-Alexander more time to boost that record and perhaps put it out of reach for anyone else for decades to come.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder Updates
Not only is he a great player, but he’s also a very efficient one. He shoots 54.4 percent from the field and 88.1 percent from the free-throw line, and his true shooting percentage is an extremely robust 64.5. Even better, even though he almost always plays point guard for Oklahoma City, he rarely turns the ball over—he’s averaging just 2.2 turnovers a contest.
The 6-foot-6 25-year-old is also putting up 6.4 assists and 5.6 rebounds a game, and he has become a strong defender, as evidenced by his averages of 2.1 steals and 1.0 blocked shots per game.
While there are some doubts that the Thunder will go far in the playoffs, given how young and inexperienced they are, there is no doubt they have a bright future regardless of how they do this spring.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder Updates
The trade with the Clippers in 2019 that landed Gilgeous-Alexander in return for Paul George, then a six-time All-Star, is starting to look a bit tilted in the Thunder’s favor.
