Shai Gilgeous-Alexander - Superb Separation 20/21

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Superstar.
At the time of this writing (03/22/21), Shai is averaging 23.5 points on 50.9/40.9/80.7 shooting splits - an effective field goal percentage of 57.2 per Cleaning the Glass. He’s attempting 4.8 three pointers and 6.6 free throws a game. Throw in 4.8 rebounds, 6.0 assists, and a career best 31.9% usage and you just about have the only thing buoying the Oklahoma City Thunder offense.

This number may fluctuate as the season goes on but Shai leads the league in drives per game at 25.2 - better than Luka Doncic’s 22.3 or Ja Morant’s 19.4.

To watch Shai snake and shake is a sensation. He’ll show and slow and go until you’re in the tree of woe. He’ll dance and dizzy defenders with a devilishly delightful handle. Gilgeous-Alexander is an ambidextrous finisher with fantastic footwork and he’ll finesse you into thinking you can get to a shot you never had a shot at.

He has this immense ability to go full speed and bump off defenders and then bring himself to a completely balanced position and then pull-up - sometimes off of the off-foot. It’s pure insanity how he can manage to make himself small when the moment calls for it. He takes that long and lanky frame and shrinks it to slink by defenders and then he’ll slide and stride to the bucket.

His In & Out dribble is devastating enough to warrant a mini-video all its own.

Per Synergy, he’s in the 91ST PERCENTILE IN THE ENTIRE LEAGUE as a pick and roll ball handler. 1.114 points per possession (PPP) on 333 possessions.

He’s excellent around the basket on non Post-Ups, averaging 1.335 PPP on 191 possessions - AND - AND - he again ranks in the 91st percentile in the league on pull-up jumpers: 1.129 PPP on 201 possessions.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: even though they were only together for a single season, the time Shai spent with Chris Paul exponentially increased whatever his ceiling could be.

If you want to read what is, in my opinion, THE Shai Gilgeous-Alexander piece (broken into two parts), check out The NBA Underground (@theNBAundrgrnd on Twitter):

https://thenbaunderground.com/player-breakdowns/what-do-the-thunder-have-in-sga-part1

https://thenbaunderground.com/player-breakdowns/what-do-the-thunder-have-in-sga-part-2

Drives per game stats:
https://www.nba.com/stats/players/drives/?dir=1&sort=DRIVES

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Видео Shai Gilgeous-Alexander - Superb Separation 20/21 канала Evin Gualberto