OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) – Just in his third year in the NBA, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will lead Oklahoma City.
The Thunder surprised the league last season by reaching the playoffs, but veterans Chris Paul, Danilo Gallinari, Dennis Schröder and Steven Adams are no longer with the team. Even with those players in the lineup, Gilgeous-Alexander was the leading scorer, averaging 19 points, 5.9 rebounds and 3.3 assists.
Now the franchise expects the 22-year-old to carry more weight.
“It’s something that excites me,” said the point guard. “I think I have worked hard and I deserve the responsibility and trust of Sam (Presti, the general manager) and the rest of the management and training staff. But I am really ready to face the responsibility that they have given me.
Gilgeous-Alexander joins Lu Dort and Darius Bazley as the remnants of the young core that led to the series against Houston extended to seven games last season. Dort and Bazley were rookies who quickly proved they are ready for the NBA.
“I think all those guys have been pushed to the limit, out of their comfort zone,” Presti said. “They have shown their ability to recover. That is a large part of our organization ”.
Gilgeous-Alexander started the summer knowing that his role on the team would change.
“The most important thing was getting my body ready to do more work in terms of the load and things like that,” he said. “So I gained weight, I got in better condition, I played more. I’ll be ready for the opportunity. “
Dort, 21, was on a minimal contract when he managed to sneak into the starting job. The 1.91-meter point guard averaged 6.8 points in 28 of 36 regular season games as a starter. He scored 30 points in Game 7 against the Rockets and now has a full contract.
Bazley started nine games last season as a backup for Gallinari. He was especially good in the regular season games that were held inside the “bubble.” In a streak of three games he averaged 22 points and 8.7 rebounds, scoring 56% of his shots.
Presti indicated that all three players have the mental tools to meet the challenge.
“I hope they can recognize that we are trusting them on and off the court,” Presti said. “This comes with great responsibility. As a young player, I think you want that, you want that challenge, the opportunity to prove yourself. They will have that opportunity ”.
