Watch: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander snubs LeBron James for 2x Finals MVP while naming all-time starting 5
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been in the headlines for the autographed jersey he sent to Drake, but his latest comments have landed him in hot water with NBA fans. With Season 1 of NBA 2K wrapping up in the coming weeks and four straight days of NBA 2K League qualifiers, as part of a promotional video for NBA 2K, Gilgeous-Alexander named his all-time starting five.
Of course, the topic of an all-time starting five has been one of the most heavily debated topics. While some argue that there's only one ball, and as such, adding ball-dominant players isn't a winning formula, others argue for size and some for speed.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's all-time starting five have not only landed him in hot water with LeBron James fans, but they've also sparked widespread debate. While excluding himself, Gilgeous-Alexander listed his starting five as:
"Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Allen Iverson, Shaquille O'Neal, Kevin Durant."
In addition to leaving out LeBron James, Gilgeous-Alexander left off a number of notable players, including Tim Duncan, Magic Johnson and Steph Curry. While he didn't go into detail about his picks, it's clear that his team is focused on both scoring and shooting.
Check out the clip from NBA 2K below:
Looking ahead at Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the OKC Thunder's upcoming season
After making waves last year, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the OKC Thunder are eager to make a push in the playoffs this year. With Chet Holmgren showing his capabilities in the preseason and SGA fresh off a third-place stint with Team Canada, it's clear that the future is bright.
Last season saw Shai Gilgeous-Alexander earn his first All-Star selection with the team after averaging a career-high 31.4 points per game. However, SGA didn't just improve on the offensive end of the floor. On defense, he averaged a career-high 1.6 steals per game and 1.0 blocks per game.
While many may wonder where SGA can go from here, OKC Thunder general manager Sam Presti spoke to The Canadian Press this week about Gilgeous-Alexander's growth. As he explained, every year, SGA returns to OKC better and better:
“He’s like a professor because he goes back to Hamilton, and he puts himself in the laboratory, and he comes back better.
"...His game changes. The things that we see today as his most identifiable traits and movements, in two to three years, they’re not going to be the same. That’s what happens with great players because they’re going to respond to the way defenses defend them."
With three more preseason games to go, SGA and the OKC Thunder will get a chance to start their season off on a high note on Oct. 25 when they take on the Chicago Bulls.