Though Olympic basketball has historically been dominated by the USA, Team Canada is viewed as a legitimate threat to contend for this year's Gold medal, and OKC Thunder superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's participation in the festivities certainly has had an impact on the club's status.
Following an MVP-deserving 2023-24 campaign in the association, the point guard has officially taken his talents to the worldwide stage where he finds himself competing in the 2024 Paris Olympic games, his first time serving in the illustrious global tournament.
Saturday, SGA took part in his debut outing where he helped guide Canada to a hard-fought 86-79 win over Team Greece.
Though on the court the 26-year-old managed to keep the cool, calm, and collected poise that's become a trademark of his, from his cheek-to-cheek smile to his sideline shenanigans throughout the exhibition, it was evident that the Thunder cornerstone was filled to the brim with excitement about participating in his first Olympic games.
Soon after Team Canada's opener, Gilgeous-Alexander headed to Instagram where he provided an inside look at his experience in France. Some of the photos featured were of him on the hardwood against Team Greece, and, with his caption, he dropped a hilarious cryptic message aimed at one of his opponent's starting guards, Thomas Walkup.
Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander drops funny pun after Canada win
His funny pun has subsequently caught the attention of fans and pundits worldwide, with many heading to X (formerly Twitter) to shed light on hilarity.
Shai is too cold for this 😭😭 pic.twitter.com/tt5RLrzoLj
— Whistle (@WhistleSports) July 28, 2024
In 30 minutes played, the Thunder star posted an impressive stat-line of 21 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds, 1 steal, and 2 blocks (one of which on the alluded-to starting guard for Greece) while shooting 50.0 percent from the floor and 66.6 percent from deep.
Walkup, on the other hand, finished with a mere 5 points, 4 assists, and 3 steals on 1-of-7 shooting from the floor.
Now, following Team Canada's impressive win -- one spearheaded by the punny SGA, who pushed their lead up to four with under a minute remaining in regulation --, they set their sights ahead toward a Tuesday matchup against Josh Giddey and Team Australia in an effort to go 2-0 during these Olympic games and claim sole possession of first place in Group A.