The fairytale season of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ends with a storybook finish. He becomes the fourth player in NBA history to win regular season and Finals MVP as well as the scoring title. The bright lights of Game 7 weren’t too bright for the Canadian star. He used it to remind basketball fans just how great he is.
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Fans are allowed their opinion of Gilgeous-Alexander, whether positive or negative. But one thing they can’t refute is that he is an NBA champion, deservingly so. In the seven games against the Indiana Pacers, SGA averaged 30.3 points, 5.6 assists and 4.6 rebounds on 44.3% shooting from the field.
There were times throughout the competitive duel when the Thunder looked like deer in headlights. Gilgeous-Alexander’s composure kept the team at bay and led them to the promised land.
One of the best examples came late in Game 4, while on the brink of falling down 3-1. He scored 15 points in that final period, all coming with under 5 minutes remaining. It was a staple performance that will go down as one of the most important from OKC’s title run.
Gilgeous-Alexander’s collective body of work through the NBA Finals has brought him heaps of praise from Stephen A. Smith. Most of it isn’t strictly due to his on-court performance but his overall impact on the team.
“Just to start the game, I saw other guys a bit jittery at first,” Smith proclaimed on ESPN’s First Take. “[Shai Gilgeous-Alexander] came out looking to score. He didn’t look phased at all. I give him all the credit in the world.”
That calm, cool and collected energy paved the way to the Thunder’s emphatic Game 7 victory. As a result, Smith believes SGA sent a message to the league: “[Shai Gilgeous-Alexander] put the world on notice. I have arrived, I am here, and I have no intentions of going anywhere anytime soon.”
Shai took it into his hands to set the tone for the rest of the team. He led by example, and the supporting cast filled in where necessary. Jalen Williams added 20 points, and Chet Holmgren’s 18 points were massive.
Gilgeous-Alexander’s evolution has been a sight to behold. Smith’s cohost, Jay Williams, doesn’t want to take away anything from Shai’s ascension to stardom but believes some praise should also be given to the man responsible for pointing out the amazing talent that is SGA.
“Players need to be set up for success,” Williams said. “The architect of culture over hype to me is Sam Presti.”
The Thunder general manager made the iconic deal to send Paul George to the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for Gilgeous-Alexander. At the time, nobody had any inkling that the 6-foot-6 guard would become the MVP of the league. Nonetheless, Presti saw something in the eventual three-time All-Star, which has now led to the organization’s first title.
Gilgeous-Alexander is only 26 years old and has plenty of his prime left to experience. Oklahoma City will be a team to reckon with for the foreseeable future, and that is a terrifying thought for the rest of the league.
