OKC Thunder: ESPN lists Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as 38th best NBA player

The OKC Thunder come into the 2020-21 season with reletively low expectations, but it appears they have their franchise player in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

When it comes to the OKC Thunder in 2020-21, most people have the impression that they’ll be playing for a top spot. However, this is not in reference to any conference or league standings but, rather, in the 2021 NBA Draft.

After a surprise run to the postseason in 2019-20, Sam Presti and co. have shipped off a majority of the players that made their successful season possible and, with this, have their sights set on the future.

With last year’s “face of the franchise” Chris Paul (traded to the Phoenix Suns) and career-long Thunder center Steven Adams (traded to the New Orleans Pelicans) now gone, all that remains in regard to a franchise cornerstone is third-year talent, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander who, by all accounts, looks to be the future for OKC.

After a career-season last year where he posted per-game averages of 19 points, 5.9 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.1 steals per game on 47 percent shooting from the field and 35 percent shooting from deep, SGA comes into the season ready to take on the role of top-dog for the Thunder.

Though only 22-years-old fans of the team are extremely excited to see the guard take on this new task. Interestingly enough, so too are the folks at ESPN.

In their latest power rankings in regard to the top-50 players coming into this season, Gilgeous-Alexander found himself placed 38th overall, a huge jump from where he ranked previously at 64th overall.

Ahead of the likes of Fred VanVleet (40) and All-Stars Kristaps Porzingis (41) and  Nikola Vucevic (42), while just behind All-Stars Russell Westbrook (36) and Khris Middleton (35), SGA finds himself in a nice sweet spot as he approaches what could be a career-defining season.

OKC Thunder fans should be quite pleased with his position within these rankings.