Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Might Have Taken Another Leap

The Oklahoma City Thunder are 0-2 in the preseason, but you should feel great about what you’ve seen. Most of the hype from the last two games centers on rookies Aday Mara and Bennett Stirtz, who everyone should be excited about. However, in 18 minutes on Wednesday night, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander reminded the world why he’s the best player on the planet and might not have hit his peak yet. 

When you think of Gilgeous-Alexander, the first thing that comes to mind is tough shot-making, which was on full display last night. While that’s about as good a skill as a superstar can have, something that can put his game over the top is whether he and the Thunder roster as a whole can generate easier shots for him. That seems to be something on his mind as well, as he went into international play with Team Canada this summer, looking to play more off-ball. 

In his preseason debut, Shai did just that. He spent more time allowing his teammates to bring the ball up and let it find him naturally. The results, though from a limited sample size, proved it might be the perfect evolution for his game. The Thunder’s offense generated three catch-and-shoot threes for him last night, and he hit every single one of them. 

Is it reasonable to expect Gilgeous-Alexander to reach anywhere close to that shooting percentage every night? Not at all, but it’s not about the results; it's about the process. The Thunder’s other guards driving and kicking created high-quality shots for OKC’s best player, and if they can consistently do that, it could drastically improve the Thunder’s offense in the postseason. 

The times when Shai is hanging out around the three-point line should also allow other guys to get better shot quality, as opposing defenses will frantically recover to drive Gilgeous-Alexander off the arc. With the playmaking acumen the MVP has, their offense could throw an entirely different look at opposing defenses whenever Shai gets bottled up on the ball. 

The Thunder don’t need significantly better play to win a second title. They have the talent, the coaching, and the experience to hoist their second Larry O-brian this season. A development like this in Gilgeous-Alexander’s game could be what ultimately brings this thing home in 2027.