With Shai Gilgeous-Alexander being in the MVP race, former Oklahoma City Thunder forward Carmelo Anthony gave a penny for his thoughts. He sees Gilgeous-Alexander as one of his banana boat buddies.
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“This is the beginning of a run for him,” Anthony said. “He's the evolution of a Penny Hardaway, of a Dwyane Wade… And he's James [Harden] a little bit.”
Being compared to those three players is an exceptional achievement. After all, Gilgeous-Alexander came second in the 2023-24 MVP race, losing to Nikola Jokic.
This year, he has been the frontrunner. For starters, the Thunder star is leading the NBA in points per game. He also leads the NBA for a second consecutive season in free throws made per game.
While the jokes fly in, it cannot discredit how lethal Gilgeous-Alexander has been on the floor. The Thunder have the best record in the Western Conference.
They secured the No. 1 seed and did so convincingly. The Thunder are one of the most balanced teams in the league. They are Top 5 in points per game, and opponents points per game.
The same goes for the offensive and defensive ratings. Oklahoma City's depth is unmatched, yet everyone knows Gilgeous-Alexander is the main cog in the engine.
Carmelo Anthony sees Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as elite
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Being elite was something that many didn't think would happen with Gilgeous-Alexander. While he showed major promise at Kentucky, no one thought he would be this good.
Every season, the Thunder guard has made strides in at least one area of his game. Much of the work behind the scenes is coming to fruition.
Now, the team has the best record in the Western Conference, and an easy favorite to make the NBA Finals. After losing to the Dallas Mavericks in seven games last season, there is even more motivation than before.
Going back to Anthony's point though, Gilgeous-Alexander and Wade have similar styles.
For starters, both love to get inside the paint and draw a barrage of fouls. However, Wade used his athleticism to dunk over defenders and create acrobatic finishes.
For the Thunder star, he is a bit different. He used angles, put English on the ball, and utilized spacing more than anything to get inside. He doesn't have to dunk over everyone, even though he's shown that he can.
At the end of the day, Anthony sees Gilgeous-Alexander as elite. Wade had a Hall of Fame career, and the same can be said for the potential 2024 MVP.