OKC Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has quickly become the new face of the NBA and an easy hero to root for.
He speaks with poise, says all the right things in interviews, keeps a consistent temperament on the court, and generally doesn't give fans much reason for hate.
With every hero, however, comes villains waiting in the wings.
The latest was notorious NBA instigator, Draymond Green.
Green was up to his usual antics during their Tuesday night face-off, barking at refs and playing bully ball. In the first half, he got called for a blunt-force foul on a Jalen Williams breakaway layup. It could've easily been called a flagrant, as Draymond's arm came swinging down on J-Dub in mid-air and sent him flying into the stands.
The power forward subsequently turned to the referee to complain about the foul call. What exactly he was arguing is anybody's guess.
Shai was unfazed by the villain on the court, however, as he led the Thunder to another double-digit victory, registering 38 points while shooting 5-for-6 from beyond the arc.
Before Draymond, it was Dillon Brooks, who had his chance at SGA just last week.
Now playing for the Phoenix Suns, the nine-year journeyman took his shots at SGA on Friday in the last match of NBA Cup pool play. He played physical defense and even began jawing at Shai when he complained to the ref about a non-call on a drive.
And what did his antics amount to? Just another dominant performance by the Thunder superstar, as Gilgeous-Alexander registered 37 points, 15 of which in the fourth quarter. He also added eight assists and shot 60.0 percent from deep.
Shai spoke on Brooks after the game and elected to take the high road. He mentioned how he loves competing against Brooks. He even went so far as to call Brooks one of the "better competitors" he has ever been around.
Brooks will get another shot at OKC's superhero next Wednesday, as the Thunder host the Suns in the first round of the NBA Cup Quarterfinals, though he may find himself in the midst of yet another SGA masterpiece when all is said and done.
Thunder hero dominates against NBA's most fearsome villains
SGA is no stranger to facing NBA antagonists.
Just last year, he got into an altercation with Brooks over a jump ball, when the wing then practically threw him to the ground and caused both benches to clear.
Shai recorded 32 points, eight rebounds, and five assists.
In recent spats with Draymond Green's Warriors, he has prevailed on every occasion. Over the past three years, he's averaged 32.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 5.8 assists in such contests.
Even in his most recent matchups against OKC's nemesis Kevin Durant, Shai is averaging a cool 36 points per game while leading the Thunder to a 3-1 record during that span.
The reality is, trash-talk and bully-ball don't seem to have an effect on Shai's nightly work. He simply goes about his business, gets his numbers, and collects his wins.
Shai is going against the grain in a narrative-driven league
In a league built on ego and drama, the Thunder guard has paved his own way.
Every year, cornerstones demand trades out of undesirable situations, All-Stars sit multiple games because of minor bruises, and X (formerly Twitter) is filled with colorful interviews from some of the NBA's famous hotheads.
Yet through it all, Shai has remained cool, calm, and collected.
It's arguably a vital reason why he has extended his 20-plus points streak to 94 games as of Wednesday and is again in the running for the league's illustrious Most Valuable Player award.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is finding success in a non-polarizing way, something that is hard to do in 2025 when clickbait is king and temper tantrums are the norm in sports.
It's obvious his team has followed suit, as they're now singing to a tune of a 21-1 record, the second-best 22-game start in NBA history.