LAS VEGAS — Stars in the sky are mostly hydrogen, with some helium and small amounts of other elements. In sports, stars aren’t just made up of exceptional skills and clutch performances, but accountability when things don’t go their way.
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander posted 21 points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals during Tuesday night’s 97-81 loss to the Bucks in the NBA Cup final. It was a far different performance from the Thunder’s semifinal win over Houston when he looked more true to form with 32 points, eight rebounds, six assists and five steals.
“Yeah, we didn’t shoot it well tonight. It’s not really an excuse,” Gilgeous-Alexander said Tuesday after he went just 8 of 24 from the floor and 2 of 9 on 3s as Oklahoma City shot 33.7 percent as a team and missed 27 of its 32 3-point tries. “There was definitely controllables tonight we could have taken care of and we didn’t do so, and that’s why the score looked the way it does. We’ve shot bad and won games before, so it’s not an excuse.”
Though the loss didn’t count toward regular-season statistics, it was clear it still mattered to Gilgeous-Alexander. Though his comments were brief, SGA did what he’s been known to do — face the music — one of the many characteristics that has made him the leader of the second-youngest team in the NBA, and one with very real championship hopes.
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When he was sent to OKC from the LA Clippers in the 2019 Paul George trade, Gilgeous-Alexander was just a promising talent, the 11th pick in the draft who posted 10.8 points his rookie season. In the five years since, he’s gradually ascended not only on his team but also to the top of the league. He’s leveled up his game and is the biggest star in town since Russell Westbrook.
“Observing him over the last five years, for someone that is rising like he is, and that’s as good as he is, and is as confident as he is, he balances that with a humility to grow through every experience,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said.
“So if you put him in a FIBA situation, he’s going to gain some confidence from that. He’s also going to learn some lessons, and he takes that and he puts it into his work and into his vision for himself, and he improves from that. And if you put him in a circumstance where he’s on a rebuilding team that’s winning 20 games, he does the same thing. Put him in a circumstance where he’s on a team like last year that’s winning 50 games, he does the same thing. It’s the consistency of the guy’s approach that is so impressive. He’s like a mutual fund, just like compounds over time. It’s not sexy, but it’s effective and impactful, and it’s got a lot to do with his success.”
While he is unreal, it’s the composition of the Thunder as a team that’s special. Gilgeous-Alexander has a rising No. 2 in Jalen Williams, a clear third in Chet Holmgren when he’s healthy, and a supporting cast featuring Lu Dort and Isaiah Hartenstein.
It’s like looking for Orion’s Belt on a clear, winter night; you go outside and look for three bright stars close together. But Gilgeous-Alexander’s star illuminates, well, differently. He has great court vision, is a smooth scorer and an elite defender. He can impose his will on a game in a way that you don’t notice until he’s already had his way. And amid his greatness, the rest of the team finds time to shine.
“He’s always the coolest guy in the room,” Daigneault said. “It doesn’t matter what room he’s in. He’s the coolest guy in the room. What’s impressive to me about him, aside from what everybody can see on the surface, is the defense, first of all. He continues to play on that end of the floor with great commitment despite being obviously a great offensive player.
“And then the ascension of his teammates, which isn’t a given with a great player like that. Sometimes their greatness and their gravity can bite into the hole. But his teammates have been able to ascend, despite his ascension.
“And so guys like Jalen, guys like Chet (Holmgren), those guys, it has not stopped them from becoming great players in their own right. And guys like Isaiah Joe, (Aaron) Wiggins, role players have maximized themselves. And I think those two things on this stage, I think go a little bit overlooked, just overshadowed by his greatness on offense.”
It’s not only his ability to perform in the clutch but an effective, impactful 30 points per game combined with an aggressive work ethic on both ends of the floor that has SGA in the three-way conversation with Nikola Jokić and Giannis Antetokounmpo for Most Valuable Player.
His coach and teammates often mention his “elite preparation” and commitment to his habits. And his opponents respect his game in the way they defend him.
“Just overall, he’s a great scorer,” Dallas star Luka Dončić said after Gilgeous-Alexander went off for 39 points against the Mavericks on Dec. 11. “Gets his teammates involved, just a lot of times it’s hard to stop him. I think at some point, you gotta send two, three players. It’s amazing to play against a guy like this. The battles. It’s fun. He’s an amazing player.”
While it’s too soon to tell just how far Gilgeous-Alexander can get, it’s undeniable that he is the future of the NBA. And it’s not something he takes lightly.
“I think basketball is a lot like life, and … what you give to the game, the game will give back to you,” he said. “And you can’t cheat it, just like life. If you want to be a doctor; if you want to be a middle-school teacher; if you want to be a dentist, whatever you want to be, what you put into it, you’ll get out of it. And there’s no faking. There’s no fooling the universe, it knows.
“And for the kids out there, I guess that just leads into working hard. That’s … how I’ve been able to build all of this, is just working hard and not caring what anybody has to say about me and doing things my way. Because when it’s all said and done, you don’t want to have any regrets, no doubts. You want to know that you gave it your all and that you did it how you wanted to do it.”
Stars are born slowly. The Milky Way produces three to four stars a year on average; the NBA produces even fewer. With the NBA’s LeBron James–Steph Curry generation aging, fans are wondering who is the next to ascend. Gilgeous-Alexander’s light is shining bright for all to see.
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(Photo: Ethan Miller / Getty Images)
