OKC Thunder: 3 stars Shai Gilgeous-Alexander should mold his game after

Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander should mold his game after No. 2) Victor Oladipo

Next up on the docket, we have a player who, like Gilgeous-Alexander, was traded early on into his NBA career — ironically, to the OKC Thunder as well –, and who possesses very similar attributes to that of the 22-year-old.

Victor Oladipo is a crafty two-way guard with unbelievable athleticism and a knack for getting his teammates involved. While SGA’s bounce may not be as high and his slams may not be as ferocious, outside of this aspect both talents play the game in a very similar manner.

Both are completely in love with the mid-range game and thrive on catching their opponent off the dribble in pursuit of the rim. They’re also quite deceptive on the defensive side of the ball, as both can cover the majority of guards and small forwards and love to come over on help-defense and pick-pocket opposing players.

Since making his way to the Indiana Pacers three seasons ago Oladipo has made himself into a multiple-time All-Star selection and boasts averages of 20.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and two steals per game on 45 percent shooting from the floor and 36 percent shooting from deep.

A huge factor in his progression was the transition from being a secondary option to the defacto top dog within the rotation, similar to what we envision Gilgeous-Alexander’s role to be during this upcoming season.

Though both players are best served within the rotation at shooting guard, they are still in fact going to play as one of their team’s primary ball handlers, which aids in the potential for shot attempts, as both have an affinity to create for themselves.

Aiming to be a (healthy) Victor Oladipo-esque player is certainly something to strive for if you’re Gilgeous-Alexander.