A former Wildcat was the most dangerous scorer in the NBA this past season — the best bucket-getter in a league of the world’s best bucket-getters. The best bucket-getter on the planet? Shai Gilgeous-Alexander fits the bill, and now, he’s earned the title to officially back that up.
The Oklahoma City Thunder superstar dominated all season as the favorite to win Most Valuable Player honors. That award will be made official in the coming weeks — MVP comes alongside announcements for Defensive Player of the Year, Most Improved Player, Sixth Man of the Year, Clutch Player of the Year, Coach of the Year and All-NBA selections to open the NBA Playoffs. Until then, though, Gilgeous-Alexander can celebrate the scoring title he’s earned, averaging 32.7 points per contest in 76 games to lead the league.
Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo finished second in the NBA with 30.4 points per game, followed by Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets (29.8 PPG), Anthony Edwards of the Minnesota Timberwolves (27.4 PPG) and Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics (26.8 PPG).
Gilgeous-Alexander finished the year shooting an efficient 51.9 percent from the field, 37.5 percent from three and 89.8 percent from the free-throw line to get him to 2,484 total points. He put up 310 more points than the second-place finisher overall, Edwards, while combining for 75 20-point games, 49 30-point games, 13 40-point games and four 50-point games with a streak of 72 straight games scoring at least 20 points to top none other than Michael Jordan.
Is that good? That sounds good.
He becomes the first Canadian born player to win the scoring title and fifth scoring champion this century to shoot over 50 percent from the field while averaging the most PPG in Thunder history.
Oh, and he didn’t do it as an empty-calorie scorer like some of the league’s best — the Thunder claimed the No. 1 seed in the West, set to take on the winner of the 9/10 matchup in the NBA Play-In Tournament between the Sacramento Kings and Dallas Mavericks starting Sunday, April 20. They finished the regular season with a final record of 68-14, best in the NBA.
Award season is going to be kind to SGA — and he just might follow it with a world championship in the NBA Finals this summer.
Then he’ll sign a four-year, $293 million supermax extension with the Thunder while maintaining his role as the face of Converse with his own signature sneaker, the SHAI001.
Life is good for the former Kentucky star.
