After an MVP-worthy run last season, Oklahoma City Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is ready to surpass what he did when the NBA returns later this year. As such, he enters the upcoming campaign as one of the league’s best point guards.
Gilgeous-Alexander has emerged as a leading Kia MVP candidate last season, showcasing his exceptional offensive skills and disruptive defensive presence. The 25-year-old Oklahoma City Thunder guard has averaged an impressive 30.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per game.
SGA’s game is marked by his ability to control the pace of play, making the best defenders in the league look foolish. He has led the league in drives per game for the fourth consecutive season, converting an impressive 57.6% of his field goal attempts on those drives.
Statistically, the Thunder guard is poised to become just the seventh player in NBA history to average at least 30 points, six assists, and two steals per game. He also ranks second in the league in deflections per game and fourth in cumulative plus-minus, with the Thunder outscoring their opponents by a significant margin when he’s on the floor.
Beyond the numbers, Gilgeous-Alexander’s game is truly captivating to watch. His ability to combine various moves, such as hesitations, crossovers, and spin moves, creates scoring opportunities that leave defenders scrambling. His adeptness at slamming on the brakes and drawing defenders before finding open teammates showcases his elite playmaking skills.
Oklahoma City Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Named Second-Best Point Guard Ahead of 2024-25 Season
During the offseason, Dallas Mavericks’ Luka Doncic was named as the best point guard in the NBA ahead of the 2024-25 season in an article by Frank Urbina for Hoops Hype. Coming in at second, though, was the Canadian star.
“Gilgeous-Alexander has become one of the toughest players to guard in the NBA (former Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart actually believes he’s tougher to defend than Doncic) and that’s due to his midrange shot-making prowess, his impossible-to-predict moves, his shiftiness and his ability to draw fouls. He draws some ire from fans for that last thing but it’s impossible to deny how effective the Oklahoma City Thunder star is at getting to the foul line and scoring easy points that way.
Gilgeous-Alexander finished second league-wide in WS/48 last season and with the way his game has progressed over recent seasons – and with how talented this current Thunder team is – he’s another player who could very well be in line for his first career MVP award in 2024-25,” Urbina wrote.
During the past month, the Thunder have acquired Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein to improve the team, particularly on the defensive end of the court. With this improved roster, Gilgeous-Alexander is projected to replicate what he did during his MVP run last season.
It remains to be seen whether SGA can become the league’s top point guard sometime next season or not. But if his performance in the Olympics is any indication, it looks like the Thunder star will do well when the NBA returns later this year.
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