With sitting firmly atop the , his position is becoming less and less comfortable with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander . The centerpiece of one of the best offenses and defenses in the league, Gilgeous-Alexander has worked his way up to second in the MVP rankings. , currently fourth in the MVP rankings, seems to be getting more media attention than Gilgeous-Alexander despite being lower in the standings. Dončić does have to do more for his team to succeed, resulting in his 18 triple-doubles this season compared to Gilgeous-Alexander’s zero, but the are a much better overall team than the with a better record. Despite the argument against him being voted MVP, Gilgeous-Alexander’s game is demanding attention. Here’s a breakdown of Gilgeous-Alexander’s play this season and some historical comparisons to put his talent into perspective. Gilgeous-Alexander Is One of the League's Best Scorers Gilgeous-Alexander is one of the very best isolation players in the league. An extremely athletic and crafty guard with a high
basketball IQ, Gilgeous-Alexander’s most beneficial trait might be his patience. If the defender doesn’t immediately bite, he waits for a quality look at the bucket or a pass rather than chucking up a bad shot. Despite not being the most talented natural playmaker, the sum of his parts still leads him to find his teammates enough to produce the 12th most total assists this season. Gilgeous-Alexander's
shooting by Distance <8 ft 591 376 63.6% 8-16 ft 442 233 52.7% 16-24 ft 119 56 47.1% 24 + 248 91 36.7% Although he’s a talented shooter from deep, most of Gilgeous-Alexander’s shots come from up close. He shoots 61.2 percent in the paint and 48.1 percent from the midrange. He’s also defensively sound, hovering around the top ten in defensive rating for all players. The only guard with a lower defensive rating is . Defensive Rating Comparison Rudy Gobert 104.4 1 Anthony Edwards 109.2 9 Gilgeous-Alexander 109.8 11 He’s also currently leading the league in steals per game with an average of 2.1. Gilgeous-Alexander has worked his way into the MVP conversation this season with his play, but this isn’t his first season as a top-tier quality player. This Is Nothing New Since joining the Thunder in the 2019-20 season, Gilgeous-Alexander has been blossoming into one of the best players in the league. Gilgeous-Alexander's Thunder Statistics by Season 2019-20 19.0 5.9 3.3 1.1 2020-21 23.7 4.7 5.9 0.8 2021-22 24.5 5.0 5.9 1.3 2022-23 31.4 4.8 5.5 1.6 2023-24 30.4 5.6 6.3 2.1 To put it into perspective, he’s played in 381 games in his career. Of those games, he’s scored 20 points or more 235 times, 30 points or more 128 times, 35 points or more 44 times, and 40 points or more 12 times. Since Oklahoma City has a long-accrued stockpile of talented players and high draft picks, it was only a matter of time before the quality of their squad improved. With the greater focus placed on the team, a bigger spotlight is now shining on Gilgeous-Alexander’s game. Although only just recently getting attention, this is nothing new for Gilgeous-Alexander. Historical Comparision Includes Harden, Bryant With Jokić and Dončić doing historical things this season, Gilgeous-Alexander hasn’t been getting as much attention as he deserves. A bold statement considering he’s discussed as a possible, but not probable, MVP candidate. Already making history on his team, Gilgeous-Alexander just recently surpassed for most in a single season with the Thunder. Durant, while in two separate seasons with the Thunder, is now watching as the record was taken by Gilgeous-Alexander with his 50 games (and counting) scoring 30 or more. Gilgeous-Alexander’s 50 games currently leads the league in games scoring 30 points or more. One of those Durant seasons (2013-14) was enough to win him that year’s MVP. The last guard to win MVP was in the 2017-18 season with the . In that season, he averaged 30.4 points, 5.4 rebounds and 8.8 assists. Gilgeous-Alexander and MVP Harden Statistical Comparison Gilgeous-Alexander (2023-24) 30.4 5.6 6.3 Harden (2017-18) 30.4 5.4 8.8 Harden may have the better basics, but when looking at shooting percentages, it tells a different story. Gilgeous-Alexander is actually shooting with the same accuracy from deep and with more accuracy overall. Gilgeous-Alexander and MVP Harden Shooting Comparison Gilgeous-Alexander (2023-24) 20.1 9.0 44.9% 36.7% Harden (2017-18) 20.0 10.8 54.0% 36.7% This was Harden’s ninth season in the league. Going a little further back, Gilgeous-Alexander is also showing shades of . Although they trade off what each does slightly better than the other, their overall stats are surprisingly similar. Gilgeous-Alexander and Bryant Career Comparison Gilgeous-Alexander 22.8 4.7 4.9 49.6% Bryant 25.0 5.2 4.7 44.7% One important thing to note about those numbers, though, is that they are career numbers. In his sixth season (2001-02), Bryant’s career stats don’t look as good as Gilgeous-Alexander's. Gilgeous-Alexander and Bryant Comparisons in First Six Seasons Gilgeous-Alexander 22.8 4.7 4.9 49.6% Bryant 19.8 4.6 3.8 45.2% While Bryant was undoubtedly doing more during this time of his career than Gilgeous-Alexander is now, he had a much better team surrounding him. SGA is only getting a quality team starting this season. Gilgeous-Alexander Leading a Top-Tier Team Aside from the individual feats accomplished by Gilgeous-Alexander this season, he’s been able to translate that into real success for his team. The Thunder currently have the third-best offense (119.9 offensive rating) and the fifth-best defense (112.5) in the NBA. The Thunder are the only team other than the to be in the top five on both ends of the floor. The Thunder are currently , sitting one game behind the defending champion . Many consider the Thunder to be real contenders, which is impressive for a team with almost no playoff experience on their roster. , 34 years old, is the oldest player on the team. They might not have the age or the experience to win a chip this season, but their potential is a
volcano that’s only just starting to erupt. With how Gilgeous-Alexander is playing this season, how he’s played throughout his career, the pace at which he’s developed, and the quality of his current teammates, he and the Thunder should have a very bright future.