Reigning back-to-back MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander considers himself the “best player in the NBA,” the Thunder superstar told Sean Gregory of TIME. When asked why he thought that way, Gilgeous-Alexander didn’t hesitate.
“I think the production that I have night in and night out is best-player-in-the-NBA production,” he said. “I think the efficiency that I do it at is best-player-in-the-NBA efficiency. I think everybody picks up a basketball or a soccer ball or a football or a tennis ball to win the game, the match, whatever it is. And I’ve done my fair share of winning in these past couple years.”
Within Gregory’s feature story, the Canadian guard credited Chris Paul as being influential in his ascent to stardom. Gilgeous-Alexander and Paul were teammates in SGA’s first season in Oklahoma City (2019/20).
“I used to eat terrible,” said Gilgeous-Alexander, who strongly believes that Canadian McDonald’s is better than American McDonald’s, thank you very much. “The seriousness that he approached the things outside of the game, his diet, the weight room, recovery, everything that he did ticked towards his performance. That was pretty eye-opening to me.”
Here’s more from around the Northwest:
Gilgeous-Alexander, who has made the All-NBA first team each of the past four seasons, has purchased a minority stake in the LaLiga soccer (football) club Atletico Madrid, per a team press release. “I’m excited to officially join Atletico Madrid’s ownership group,” the Thunder guard said. “This is a club with a long-standing presence at the top of European football, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to be part of its future.” As Alex Kirkland of ESPN notes, the US-based fund Apollo Global Management has been the majority owner in Atletico Madrid since 2025.
After re-signing with the Timberwolves on a five-year, $112MM contract, Ayo Dosunmu has been helping to set the tone for the team during the offseason, training camp and the preseason by becoming a leader and challenging Anthony Edwards, according to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. “Now, I feel like I’m established in terms of being in the organization, understanding the offense and defense so now I can be more vocal,” Dosunmu said. “I just want to do whatever it takes to help the team win. I want to do whatever it takes vocally, stepping up as a leader, holding each other accountable.”
There have been rumblings that new Trail Blazers owner Tom Dundon is using the threat of relocating to maximize the team’s leverage in negotiations with the city of Portland about renovating the Moda Center. Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, who spent one season with the team near the end of his playing career, said it would be a “tragedy” if the Blazers were to ever leave Portland, writes Jason Quick of The Athletic. “I mean, Seattle was a tragedy. I would hope we have learned as a league since the Seattle debacle just how important franchises are, not only to communities but also the history of the league,” Kerr said.