Shai Gilgeous-Alexander earns high praise from Thunder GM
By Rylan Stiles
The OKC Thunder are preparing for an exciting season ahead. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander represents one of the best players in basketball, as he fully displayed in the 2023 FIBA World Cup. With one of the best young cores in the entire NBA, the Oklahoma City Thunder are expected by many to take another leap this season. On the heels of a 16-win improvement, Gilgeous-Alexander is still getting better.
Sam Presti held his annual preseason Media Availability on Wednesday. This set the table for Monday’s Media Day, where we will talk with the entire roster and head coach Mark Daigneault.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander earns high praise from Sam Presti over his intense offseason regimen.
Sam Presti was asked about everything under the sun during his Media session, including his star player, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. It is easy to compliment the Canadian star, who averaged 31 points, four rebounds, and five assists per game. The max contract point guard earned his first All-Star nod, capped off by a first-team All-NBA selection.
Sam Presti’s praise of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander during his Media Availability stood out on Wednesday. Each year, the Kentucky product has come back to the NBA better than ever. Last year, his defensive leap was extremely noticeable. Many of those improvements date back to the offseason work he puts in.
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Sam Presti has been around plenty of great players, future Hall of Famers, and true NBA legends. For him to highlight Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s offseason regiment as “intense” should leap off the page to OKC Thunder fans. This is a General Manager who understands what it looks like to have some of the best players in the world and what they do in the offseason.
After getting a glimpse of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s progress at the FIBA World Cup, OKC Thunder fans only have a few more days to wait before they see the guard make another leap.