‘Championship or bust’: For Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, MVP was by no means going to be sufficient

Editor’s be aware: This story was initially revealed on March 18, earlier than Shai Gilgeous-Alexander received his first NBA championship.

Giannis Antetokounmpo had one request earlier than the All-Star Recreation in February. 

“Simply shake my hand,” Antetokounmpo instructed Shai Gilgeous-Alexander whereas they had been within the locker room. “I simply need a little bit little bit of aura.”

Antetokounmpo, a two-time MVP,  then sauntered across the locker room, imitating the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder famous person. He moved with an unmistakable swagger. He pretended to dribble a basketball twice, step-back together with his left foot, hesitate after which shoot a jumper. 

Gilgeous-Alexander laughed on the present.

All eyes are on Gilgeous-Alexander this season, even in a room stuffed with among the league’s greatest stars. Anthony Edwards known as him the “MVP of the NBA” after he scored 40 factors in a win over Minnesota on New Yr’s Eve. 

A fan even requested Gilgeous-Alexander to signal his child earlier this season.

Gilgeous-Alexander has remodeled from a participant who was missed for a lot of his profession right into a full blown famous person. He is in a two-horse race with Nikola Jokic for the MVP Award, and has led the Thunder to first-place within the Western Convention with a file of 56-12.

However for him, none of that issues. 

“Championship or bust,” Gilgeous-Alexander mentioned in an unique interview with FOX Sports activities. “If we do not win, it is a failure.”

In some ways, Gilgeous-Alexander is the proper famous person for the Thunder, whose tradition is constructed round a team-first mentality. He often does his postgame TV interviews alongside his teammates, which is a stark distinction from the norm. And he typically credit them for his success.

In actual fact, amid his meteoric ascension, one factor has caught the eye of these round him greater than his gaudy stats.

He hasn’t modified a lot.

“Throughout this complete rise, he has been the very same man,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault mentioned. “If something, he has change into extra accessible and relatable to his teammates… [Superstars] detach, simply naturally. It isn’t their fault. However the world detaches them from the staff. If the intention is staying contained in the staff, he does that.”

Gilgeous-Alexander cares about basketball, his household and style. He desires to win a championship and he desires to look good whereas doing it. Every thing else pales compared, together with the MVP Award.

In actual fact, when requested if he deserves it this season, he tepidly advocated for himself however stopped wanting instantly answering the question. 

“I’ve all the time felt like I used to be one of many prime gamers within the league,” Gilgeous-Alexander instructed FOX Sports activities. “Very assured in my recreation. Very assured in how onerous I work. I believe I am going on the market and present it on a nightly foundation.”

He promotes himself a lot louder on the courtroom. 

This season, the 26-year-old guard is main the league in scoring, averaging a career-high 33 factors on 52.6 p.c capturing, alongside 5.0 rebounds and 6.2 assists. He has scored not less than 40 factors 11 occasions this season, and not less than 50 factors 4 occasions. 

However do not suppose it got here simple. Gilgeous-Alexander needed to combat for this second. 

He did not make his highschool varsity basketball staff as a freshman. He was seventh-ranked of the seven recruits who had been signed to Kentucky in 2017, and the one one amongst them who did not have a five-star score. Then, the Clippers dealt him to the Thunder for Paul George in 2019 after only a single season in Los Angeles. 

At each flip, he proved that he was vastly underrated. 

At Kentucky, Gilgeous-Alexander grew to become the Wildcats’ finest participant. With the Clippers, he clawed his method into the beginning lineup halfway via his rookie season. And final season, even George, a nine-time All-Star, acknowledged after a recreation towards Oklahoma Metropolis that the Thunder “received that commerce” involving them, contemplating the Clippers gave up 5 first-round picks and a future MVP contender.  

However nonetheless, Gilgeous-Alexander finds it simpler to brag about his teammates than himself. Some is perhaps doubtful {that a} man who’s atop the league and is comfy modeling in underwear for Kim Kardashian’s SKIMS model may be so down-to-earth. 

He owes that to his mother and father, particularly his mom, Charmaigne, who used to name the teaching workers at Kentucky when he began excelling, urging them to mood their pleasure so his head did not get too large. 

“My mother and father all the time made positive that we understood, regardless of who you’re or what you do, you are not higher or worse than anyone,” Gilgeous-Alexander instructed FOX Sports activities. “I assume that is simply the man I’m. It doesn’t matter what I wish to accomplish on this recreation, I would like my teammates and I do know that. I would like them simply as a lot as they want me. So, there is no purpose to get big-headed.”

It additionally helps that Gilgeous-Alexander has spent six of his seven seasons with the Thunder, which is without doubt one of the few organizations within the NBA that places the emphasis on the staff over the famous person. Chet Holmgren believes the Thunder obtained fortunate find a frontrunner who so completely matches their tradition. 

“If you happen to’re not a great particular person, you do not find yourself taking part in for the Thunder,” Holmgren mentioned. “He is a testomony to that as a result of he has each alternative to behave nevertheless he desires and do no matter he desires as a result of you’ll be able to’t actually say a lot since you want him to go on the market and put up numerous buckets the subsequent night time. However he would not do this. He is a particularly humble man and he is all about basketball.”

As for the commerce that despatched him to the Thunder? That is nonetheless a sore spot for the Clippers group. However few thought he would grow to be this. 

Curiously sufficient, one of many first individuals who believed in him was former NBA nice Jerry West, who served as a advisor for the Clippers earlier than he died in 2024. West inspired the staff to commerce for Gilgeous-Alexander the identical day Charlotte chosen him with the eleventh general choose within the 2018 draft. 

West, famously, has a eager eye for recognizing expertise, together with orchestrating the commerce that introduced a brash younger star named Kobe Bryant to the Lakers in 1996.

Throughout Gilgeous-Alexander’s rookie season with the Clippers, he developed right into a promising younger participant. However even former Clippers coach Doc Rivers did not hesitate when requested if he thought Gilgeous-Alexander would develop right into a famous person. 

“I’d like to lie and say completely,” Rivers mentioned, including that just one particular person throughout the group really foresaw his potential. “[Assistant coach] Sam Cassell was the very best [on him]. He mentioned from Day 1, he wasn’t in favor of the commerce – like, in a powerful method.”

Issues have labored out for each the Thunder and Gilgeous-Alexander. 

The Thunder helped unlock Gilgeous-Alexander’s recreation, placing the proper items round him. In 2019, they signed Lu Dort, who’s a powerful 3-point shooter and wing defender. In 2022, they drafted expert heart Chet Homgren (No. 2) and two-way sensation Jalen Williams (No. 12). And final summer time, they acquired veterans Isaiah Hartenstein and Alex Caruso.  

Now, the Thunder have remodeled from a rebuilding franchise into actual championship contenders. 

Within the meantime, Gilgeous-Alexander has grown right into a wizard at altering tempo, an elite playmaker, a creative scorer, and a strong defender, who seemingly pirouettes round defenses with a mixture of pace and agility.

Gilgeous-Alexander believes he landed within the good spot. Although, he staunchly rejects the concept if he had performed elsewhere, issues would’ve performed out in a different way for him. 

“I believe I’d’ve grew to become who I’m regardless,” Gilgeous-Alexander instructed FOX Sports activities. “I believe no matter my circumstances, wherever I have been thrown in my complete profession, from after I was in ninth grade, getting reduce, I’ve all the time targeted on creating, I’ve all the time labored tremendous onerous and I’ve all the time continued to enhance. So I all the time thought it doesn’t matter what hearth I used to be thrown into, I will be all proper.”

Gilgeous-Alexander’s longtime coach, Olin Simplis, echoed that. In actual fact, if something, he believes Gilgeous-Alexander would’ve change into a family title sooner if he had remained in Los Angeles as a result of he would’ve had extra eyes on him. He argued that Gilgeous-Alexander’s accomplishments have flown under-the-radar, particularly final season.

“He did not have one other All-Star or All-NBA participant alongside him they usually had been No. 1 within the West,” Simplis mentioned of the Thunder. “He needs to be going for back-to-back MVPs, truthfully.”

[2024-25 NBA MVP odds: SGA running away from Jokić]

Simplis, who started working with Gilgeous-Alexander after his freshman 12 months at Kentucky, mentioned he instantly acknowledged that he was destined for greatness. 

He recalled how when Gilgeous-Alexander was 19 years outdated, he saved messing up whereas making an attempt to do a sidestep adopted by a getaway. For 3 straight days, Gilgeous-Alexander arrived on the health club at 6 a.m., doing the transfer time and again till he added it to his arsenal.

One other time, Simplis organized a free-throw contest with draft prospects, with the winner receiving $20. To today, Simplis nonetheless thinks concerning the depth wherein Gilgeous-Alexander approached that drill.

“He is simply a kind of children, you inform him one factor, he will do it,” Simplis mentioned. “He will do it till he has mastered it. His mindset is on par with the tales you hear of Kobe Bryant.”

It has all labored out for Gilgeous-Alexander, who has grown from a teen who did not make his highschool varsity staff into being on a shortlist to change into a future face of the league.

However although he has prevented getting big-headed, he additionally is not one for false humility. 

When requested to mirror on his journey, he could not assist however flash a large grin and shake his head in disbelief. 

“It is inspiring to myself simply to see how far I’ve come,” he mentioned.

Melissa Rohlin is an NBA author for FOX Sports activities. She beforehand coated the league for Sports activities Illustrated, the Los Angeles Occasions, the Bay Space Information Group and the San Antonio Specific-Information. Comply with her on Twitter @melissarohlin.

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