The Oklahoma City Thunder saw their point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander transform into a superstar during the 2022-23 season. A process that has been building in Bricktown for a long time. Gilgeous-Alexander turned himself into a 31-point-per-game scorer, not only earning his first All-Star nod but first-team All-NBA honors, and finished fifth in MVP voting.
However, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s transformation did not stop on the offensive end of the floor. According to Synergy, the Kentucky product turned himself into an excellent defender, using his length and size to disrupt passing lanes, get deflections, dive on loose balls, and compiled 2.6 STOCKS per game.
OKC Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander underrated in new NBA 2k video game.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has spent part of this offseason marketing the new NBA 2k video game. He and fellow OKC Thunder guard Josh Giddey have been seen in commercials and social content videos plugging NBA 2k24. Last season amid his outbreak, Gilgeous-Alexander leaped to a 94 overall. You could imagine he would carry that rating into the new game, but he lost an overall.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been rated 93 in 2k24. pic.twitter.com/IuObRj8U0M
— Rylan Stiles (@Rylan_Stiles) August 10, 2023
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is a 93 overall in the new game, though this is just a starting rating. Throughout the NBA season, the NBA 2K team releases roster updates that allows overalls to fluctuate based on real-life performances.
Gilgeous-Alexander is the only 93 overall in the game at launch, with Ja Morant, Zion Williams, and Donovan Mitchell all receiving 92 overall ratings. The OKC Thunder point guard looks up to four 94 overall rated players such as Kawhi Leonard, Devin Booker, Damian Lillard, and Anthony Davis.
Nikola Jokic is the highest-rated player in the game at 98, with Giannis Antetokoumnpo (96), LeBron James (96), Joel Embiid (96), Kevin Durant (96), Stephen Curry (96), Luka Doncic (95), Jayson Tatum (95), Jimmy Butler (95), and Kawhi Leonard (94) rounding out the top ten.
You could argue that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander should be rated ahead of Devin Booker and some other players that the max contract point guard outperformed last season, but that will settle itself out by the first roster update.
Where the OKC Thunder were really snubbed came in their third top-100-rated player. Rookie of the year runner-up Jalen Williams only earned an 82 overall in the next game. That places him behind the likes of Alperen Sengun, Spencer Dinwiddie, Keldon Johnson, Jonas Valanciunas, D’Angelo Russell, Miles Bridges, Clint Capela, and fellow 2022 NBA Draft class member Walker Kessler.
Ultimately, these 2k ratings are silly, but they are fun to debate in August!