The OKC Thunder have established themselves as one of the best teams currently in the association and, though it has taken an overall team effort for them to get here, undoubtedly the biggest factor in their meteoric rise in 2023-24 has been the play of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Now in his fifth season with the organization, the guard has become synonymous with the "superstar" moniker thanks to his elite two-way play and overall leadership.
Not only has he earned himself a second consecutive All-Star nod and has put himself in a realistic position to claim the league's Most Valuable Player award come season's end, but, with his on-court production and per-game averages, Gilgeous-Alexander has consistently been grouped into the same conversation as NBA legend and basketball's consensus G.O.A.T, Michael Jordan.
From being one game short of tying his record for having the most consecutive games with
30 or more points with four or fewer turnovers to his current pace of becoming the only other player in league history to average at least 31.0 points, 6.0 assists, and 2.0 steals while shooting 50 percent or better from the floor, the 25-year-old has been linked to the six-time champion on numerous occasions throughout this illustrious campaign.
Following the Thunder's recent win over the Phoenix Suns, where he dropped 35 points, eight rebounds, and nine assists, along with three steals and three blocks, Gilgeous-Alexander talked about his statistical comparisons to Jordan and, kicking off his sentimental comments, he issued an unsurprising and overall humbling statement on the matter: "It's an honor."
Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander talks Michael Jordan comparison
"It's an honor. To be in those conversations, if I'm even in them, is why you play the game and what you dream about as a kid. It's an honor. Obviously I have a long way to go before I get to even be in the same conversation as him but it's an honor."Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Makin’ moves on the 10-0 Thunder run ⚡ pic.twitter.com/2mPyPjhYol
— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) March 4, 2024
Through 59 games played, Gilgeous-Alexander finds himself dropping stellar averages of 31.2 points, 6.5 assists, 5.6 rebounds, 2.1 steals, and just shy of a block while shooting 54.8 percent from the floor and 38.2 percent from deep.
Heading toward their first postseason berth since 2020, the Thunder are currently the top seed in the Western Conference standings and register in with the second-best net rating in the entire NBA.
While many hands have played a part in their successes on the year, none have been as impactful as SGA's Jordan-esque level of play.
For him, as noted, it's an honor to have his skills be compared to the legend. For fans, its been an honor to watch.