Stephen Curry has been arguably the best point guard in the league for nearly a decade now. But with other young playmakers on the rise, some believe that the 36-year-old might be losing his spot pretty soon as he approaches the end of his prime. Deron Williams, once one of the NBA’s best guards himself, took it a step further and declared that Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has already surpassed Curry.
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“I think he’s [Shai is] making a case for being the best point guard in the league. Obviously, Steph might have some things to say about that,” Williams said on FanDuel TV’s Run it Back.
SGA was a bona fide MVP contender last season as he finished second in MVP voting behind Nikola Jokic. This season, he has been on a similar run, making a strong case for best PG in the league. He’s averaging 30.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 6.3 assists on 51% shooting. Under his leadership, the Thunder are the top seed in the West this year as well.
Luka Doncic might have a better case than SGA if you consider individual performances. But the role of a PG entails lifting his team up. And the way Gilgeous-Alexander has elevated a young OKC side in a stacked Western Conference prompts him a head-start in the race for top point guard.
Has Shai Gilgeous-Alexander officially passed Steph Curry as the best point guard in the NBA?@DeronWilliams says the OKC superstar has arrived!
Do you agree? @TeamLou23 | @ChandlerParsons | @MichelleDBeadle pic.twitter.com/TO6rG1ek2N
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) December 16, 2024
Williams also underlined his belief that the combo guard deserved the MVP award over the now three-time MVP, Jokic, “I thought [Gilgeous-Alexander] should have won MVP last year… I thought he had the best year, especially with the team he has.”
The 40-year-old heaped praise on Shai for his leadership, an underappreciated aspect of the rising star’s repertoire. He reiterated the Canadian’s capability of rallying a young team around him.
Williams’ criticism comes in an apt time as SGA will look to lead his team to an NBA Cup title tomorrow night.
