Teammates reveal SGA's unparalleled impact. They believe his game already rivals NBA legends, transcending mere statistics in their eyes.
In real time, greatness can be difficult to identify. Fans and even players sometimes struggle to recognize when they’re witnessing a career that will eventually be remembered among the best in NBA history. When someone is still in their prime, or even approaching it, it can feel too early to put them in the “all-time” conversation.
But for the Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder, the people around him every day are starting to believe that conversation is already justified.
Three of Gilgeous-Alexander’s teammates, Kenrich Williams, Jaylin Williams, and Ajay Mitchell, all recently spoke about what it’s like to watch him up close. Their responses weren’t just praise for a superstar teammate. They sounded like reflections from players who believe they’re witnessing something historically special.
Kenrich Williams pointed out that Gilgeous-Alexander’s nightly brilliance can sometimes become so routine that people stop appreciating just how rare it is.
“Of course. A few weeks ago I said that a lot of people kind take his greatness for granted. “What we’re seeing right now is unreal…we as a team really appreciate it & hopefully the fans do too”
Williams’ point highlights something that often happens with elite players. When someone performs at an MVP level consistently, it slowly becomes normalized. The 30 point nights, the clutch buckets, and the complete control of the game start to feel expected rather than extraordinary.
But inside the locker room, that perspective hasn’t been lost.
Jaylin Williams offered perhaps the strongest endorsement of all, suggesting that Gilgeous-Alexander may have already done enough to warrant being called an all-time great, even though his career is still unfolding.
“Yeah, for sure. I think with what he’s already done, you can say that he’s already an all-time great, and he’s just adding on to it. And I think every game, every situation, he just continues to impress. And when you’re the best in the world, it’s hard to continue to impress, and he’s doing it night in, night out. And I think the most impressive thing as a teammate or as a friend of Shai is what he is off the court. And I think when I came to the Thunder, you know that he’s a top player in the league.
He’s this player. He’s whatever, and he’s just like me. He’s just like the 34th pick. He’s just like the two-way, whatever it is. He’s the same person to everybody, and he’s the MVP of the league, but he’s a better person.”
For Jaylin Williams, the greatness isn’t just about scoring titles, MVP discussions, or highlight plays. It’s about how Gilgeous-Alexander carries himself. Despite being one of the league’s biggest stars, he treats everyone, from lottery picks to two-way players, the same.
That humility has helped shape the culture in Oklahoma City as the Thunder continue to rise.
Ajay Mitchell, who has spent the last two seasons around Gilgeous-Alexander, echoed a similar sentiment. From his perspective, the true impact of Gilgeous-Alexander’s dominance becomes clearer when you pause long enough to reflect on it.
“I mean, definitely. I think being out, obviously he was out too, but just being here for two years, seeing what he does consistently, it’s kind of like rare. So I think, I mean, just seeing him at work is just crazy. And I think you don’t really, when you’re into it, when you’re playing, you don’t really realize it.
But when I can take a step back and actually think about it, you see that. It’s kind of rare what he’s doing. So I think, yeah, he is on the pace to be one of the all-time greats. I mean, he’s an amazing player.”
Mitchell’s perspective captures the unique challenge of evaluating greatness in the moment. When you’re in the middle of it, game after game, season after season, it can be hard to step back and see the bigger picture.
But moments of reflection reveal the truth.
The reality is that Gilgeous-Alexander may still be years away from the full résumé that defines the greatest players in NBA history. Championships, MVPs, and postseason runs often shape those legacies over time.
Yet the foundation already appears to be there.
What makes this stage of his career so fascinating is that it still feels like the beginning. If his teammates are right, Gilgeous-Alexander may have already stamped his place among the game’s elite.
The only thing standing between him and a permanent place in the history books now might simply be time.