Following a career season, Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander prepares to return to the court representing his home country.
Gilgeous-Alexander headlines Team Canada’s roster as they prepare to play in the 2023 FIBA World Cup. If Canada aspires to win the tournament, it’ll have to happen because the 25-year-old was the best player on the court most nights.
According to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps, that isn’t out of the realm of possibility. Bontemps argued that Gilgeous-Alexander has a strong case to be the best player participating in the international tournament — beating out fellow 2018 draft classmate Luke Doncic.
“The Canadians enter this tournament arguably with the single best player in the entire field in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander,” Bontemps said. “He’s as good or better than Luka Doncic and anybody the American team has.”
“The Canadians enter this tournament, arguably with the single best player in the entire field, in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. He’s as good, or better than Luka Doncic and anybody the American team has…”
– ESPN’s @TimBontemps on SGA & Team Canada 🇨🇦⚡️pic.twitter.com/eAqTUbJ4VV
— Cooper Jones (@CooperJNBA) August 4, 2023
The praise continues to flow in for Gilgeous-Alexander as he finished No. 5 in MVP voting last season after averaging 31.4 points on 51% shooting. At just 25 years old, it’s fair to say he is currently in his prime and will continue to be one of the best players in the league for the foreseeable future.
