Shai Gilgeous-Alexander voted second most improved player in survey

The NBA had its midseason media survey drop on the NBA website. Answering questions such as who is the best team, who will make the biggest second-half run, who is the surprise team, player awards, and more.  This included the Oklahoma City Thunder being littered throughout the survey, but Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in particular played a big role.

This season, the OKC Thunder have seen Shai Gilgeous-Alexander up his game, averaging 31 points, four rebounds, and five assists a night shooting 50 percent from the floor, 34 percent from deep, and 91 percent from the line. SGA has a 5.6 win shares and a 26.7 PER. That has been enough to warrant a top-four finish in the first All-Star fan voting returns.

The Oklahoma City Thunder were littered throughout the NBA Media Midseason survey, as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was second in Most Improved and received votes for the most clutch player in the NBA

The OKC Thunder have seen Shai Gilgeous-Alexander surge up the betting boards, leading the way on most sites as the favorite to win the NBA’s Most improved player award. However, during the midseason survey, Gilgeous-Alexander had a second-place finish.

The NBA media has placed Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen ahead of the star point guard. Markkanen received 53 percent of the vote, while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander took home 33 percent of the vote, and Tyrese Haliburton of Indiana and Anfernee Simons of Portland each accounted for seven percent of the vote.

When the media was asked who is on track to win the new clutch player award, they overwhelmingly selected Luka Doncic at 47 percent. De’Aaron Fox earned 13 percent of the vote, while Kevin Durant accounted for 10 percent. Though, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the NBA’s leading clutch time player statistically did receive a vote.

Finishing second in the most improved player might not be the slight it appears on the surface. As OKC head coach Mark Daigneault likes to point out, we all knew this was inside the Kentucky product. Whereas Lauri Markkanen’s outburst is more of a true surprise.

However, I do believe when the chips are down, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will take home the hardware.