Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has become one of the top players in the NBA. His rise comes from his performance with the Oklahoma City Thunder. However, few remember that his career began with the Los Angeles Clippers. Nevertheless, they traded him when he was just 19 years old. That move could have crushed many young players, but he turned the situation into an opportunity to prove himself. Years after the trade, Shai was asked about the situation and he gave a clear, confident, and direct answer.
“They did a long time ago. I haven’t thought about them in years, though…I can’t hold, I guess you can say, grudges for like- for whatever reason, they moved on from me, and they thought it was a good idea, and the Thunder, vice versa. And those are the cards that I was dealt, and I just try to make the best of them,” stated Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
By addressing the situation head-on, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander made it clear that his focus is on the Oklahoma City Thunder. This season, he is one of the top MVP candidates averaging 32.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 6.4 assists per game. As a result, he holds the highest scoring average among all remaining playoff players. That speaks volumes about his impact in leading the Thunder to the Western Conference semifinals.
Besides, Shai states that he has been closely following his two potential opponents in the conference semifinals of the playoffs giving details about both teams: “We’ve seen both teams four times this year. So we kind of got a good pretty good feel for them. We know what they bring to the table, what challenges they present. Both of those teams are obviously good basketball teams. This series is what it is because of that. It’s about us being ready for the challenge when the time comes, when we figure out who it is.”
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder reacts in the final seconds of their 135-119 win over the Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena on February 28, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault opens up on their preparation for the next stage of the postseason
The Oklahoma City Thunder dominated the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round of the playoffs. They swept the series 4-0 and advanced to the NBA Conference Semifinals of the postseason. Now, they have a full week to prepare for their next challenge. However, extra rest does not always guarantee success. For example, the Los Angeles Lakers had more rest but lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
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Because of that, head coach Mark Daigneault wants to avoid any surprises. He explained what the team is doing during this break: “We’re still working on ourselves. We don’t want to make any assumptions. We don’t want to put a lot of time into one team and then, next thing you know, the other team wins…They’re still playing in a series right now, whoever they are. And we’ve gotten used to these quick preparation turnarounds.”
