Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, From Outcast to Top of the World

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander once visited Jakarta in 2023 with the Canadian team. At that time, he was still considered a young star, not at the level he is now. However, everyone who witnessed him was aware that Shai would soon stand at the pinnacle of the world. He possesses star quality, leadership spirit, and undeniable basketball skills.

Approximately two years after the visit to Jakarta, all eyes from around the world were focused on the Oklahoma City Thunder player, specifically on Monday (23/6/2025) WIB at the Paycom Center Stadium. Shai stood at the podium after leading the Thunder to their first NBA championship since the relocation in 2008.

There are two trophies in front of the 26-year-old guard's face. One is the champion trophy. Another smaller one is the Final Most Valuable Player (MVP) individual trophy given to Shai. The mini trophy is a symbolic form, a sign that Shai is the hero of the Thunder's championship in the final series versus the Indiana Pacers.

Perfect. That is the only word that can describe Shai's achievements this season. He has attained many firsts in his career, ranging from champion, Finals MVP, Western Conference Finals MVP, to regular season MVP and leading scorer. Throughout NBA history, no other player has been able to achieve all of this in a single season.

Interestingly, Shai accomplished it all with the youngest squad in the NBA. “At the end of the day, it’s going to go down in history as one of the greatest seasons a player has ever had. I’m proud to have been his teammate. He was always thinking about the team, winning, not about himself,” Thunder forward Chet Holmgren said.

Great sailors do not come from calm seas. The same goes for Shai in basketball. The player, born in Toronto, Canada, first entered the NBA in 2018 and played for the Los Angeles Clippers. Unfortunately, he only lasted one season with the Clippers before being traded to the Thunder in the following season.

Shai became a victim of the Clippers' ambition to acquire Thunder star player, Paul George. The transfer was the first major blow in his career. He felt that it was unnecessary. However, after coming to terms with it, he turned that bitterness into motivation to grow stronger.

Just as Michael Jordan needed a Scottie Pippen figure in the Chicago Bulls' championship dynasty, so did Shai.

Disasters slowly turn into blessings. Shai has indeed moved to the right team. The Thunder, led by Sam Presti, an experienced general manager who once "created" the trio of James Harden, Kevin Durant, and Russell Westbrook, has welcomed Shai into its new project, which is filled with young coach Mark Daigneault and young players.

His greatest fortune in Thunder was being able to play with legendary guard Chris Paul in the 2019-2020 season. Shai learned a lot from the player nicknamed "Point God". He always came to the senior's condo to chat about basketball, practice together, and watch the lower division league.

Just as Michael Jordan needed Scottie Pippen in the Chicago Bulls’ dynasty, so did Shai. Shai’s rise began after the Thunder acquired two young players, Holmgren and Jalen Williams, in the 2022 draft. The trio has continued to improve each season and has become the foundation of the Thunder’s championship this season.

In his class, Shai wasn’t the best talent. He was shadowed by talented guards like Luka Doncic and Trae Young on draft night. Both of those players were drafted much earlier than Shai at 11th overall. And so was heading to college. He was ranked 30th in the nation’s top high school players.

Mother Shai, Charmaine Gilgeous, is an Olympic runner representing Antigua and Barbuda. She inherited her athletic talent from her mother, standing at a height of 1.98 meters with an arm span of over 2.1 meters. This makes her highly relevant in the NBA, which requires tall players with long arms.

However, that physical talent is not the best either. Daigneault, the coach, stated that Shai is not a super athlete like LeBron James or Giannis Antetokounmpo. His protégé is also not as fast as Ja Morant. "Remarkably, he is on the same level as those players. All of this showcases his extraordinary skills," he said.

Skills are not innate but can be developed through diligent training. When it comes to perseverance in becoming better, it is hard to surpass Shai. The player, who idolizes the legendary figure Kobe Bryant, holds the principle that tomorrow must be better than today. This principle was instilled by his mother and has been practiced since childhood.

Shai was first taught to play basketball by his father, Vaughn Alexander, in the garage of their home at the age of 10. He practiced with his cousin, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, who is now also an NBA player. This hobby only began to be pursued seriously when he entered junior high school.

SGA, as he is called, did not appear to have high talent at the age of 13. He was still under 1.7 meters tall, quite short among his peers. To overcome this, he worked harder than others. "I always learn things quickly. So I strive to absorb as much as possible and improve as quickly as I can," he said.

Shai always leaves for school at six in the morning, two and a half hours before classes begin. While other children are still asleep, he is already practicing on the school field. His first coach, Dwayne Washington, stated that Shai has always been interested in learning new things. He brings a small notebook during practice to write down theories from his coach.

It feels like I'm addicted to getting better.

Thanks to that hard work, Shai has developed rapidly. He can face taller players in various ways, ranging from acceleration and deceleration of speed to create space to seeking fouls. The improvement in his skills has paralleled his height. Shai suddenly reached nearly 1.9 meters in the first year of high school.

The attitude and character of the fighter have remained intact to this day, even after becoming an NBA megastar. At the end of each season, he always returns to his hometown to train independently. He trains from the morning with a personal coach and former high school teammates in Hamilton, Ontario, to prepare new moves.

"It feels like I am addicted to becoming better. I have managed to get this far by working as hard as possible. I might be able to play for another ten years if I'm lucky. So, why not give my best for another ten years and see what happens," Shai said about his mindset.

Shai teaches that talent alone is not enough if one wants to be the best of the best. Commitment, a thirst for knowledge, and perseverance are needed to reach the highest point. Only with these can weaknesses become strengths. Calamities can turn into hidden blessings. The best changer of one's fate is oneself. (AP)

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Born: Toronto, Canada, July 12, 1998

Club:

• Los Angeles Clippers (2018-2019)
• Oklahoma City Thunder (2019-sekarang)

Performance:

• Juara NBA 2024-2025 (bersama Thunder)
• MVP Final 2024-2025
• MVP Final Wilayah Barat 2024-2025
• MVP musim reguler 2024-2025
• Pencetak skor terbanyak musim reguler 2024-2025
• Tim All-NBA (3 kali)
• Tim All-Star (3 kali)