OKLAHOMA CITY — After the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Indiana Pacers 132-111, All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander revealed a speech from team GM Sam Presti that still sticks with him. Before he was an MVP candidate, Gilgeous-Alexander adapted habits to become an All-Star. He also implemented a particular mindset, a seed Presti had planted shortly after drafting Chet Holmgren with the second overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft.
Gilgeous-Alexander says the speech came after Holmgren’s season-ending foot injury, which forfeited his rookie campaign. It also led to Presti addressing the team in person, and Gilgeous-Alexander hasn’t paid attention to outside noise ever since.
“Three years ago, Chet, Dub’s first year, Chet had got hurt, and it was the start of the season, and we had these expectations because we like finally got a top rookie, and some good young talent, and we were supposed to be a team that took a next step, and Chet got hurt,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “Everyone in the media was like this year’s a wash. We’re going to rebuild again. Sam [Presti] came in the first meeting of the year, and told us our destiny is ours to control, and if we prioritize winning, we’ll win. I think everyone received that message loud and clear.
“And we’ve taken that and run with it these past three years. We’ve taken steps because of that. The tone that they set with what they prioritize as an organization, and as a front office, as the coaches, it trickles down to us. That’s all we see. They don’t care about anything else besides our performance, and everything else comes second to that, and us winning games. Them having that mentality gives us no choice,” Gilgeous-Alexander concluded.
The Thunder have been making strides ever since. Last season, with Holmgren in tow, Oklahoma City was atop the Western Conference, sharing an identical 57-25 record with the Denver Nuggets. This season, the Thunder have a 14-game lead. With a 62-12 mark, the Thunder are having the best season in franchise history.
Mark Daigneault on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s Thunder growth
Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault watched his All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander put it all together throughout the past three seasons. Daigneault says Gilgeous-Alexander has become mindful of what’s always best for the team.
“Despite the fact that he’s on the doorstep of winning an MVP award last year and this year, he sees things through a broader lens, and sees things through the lens of the team,” Daigneault added. “So, he makes incremental growth almost monthly, it seems.”
The Thunder, with the best record in the NBA, extended their winning streak to nine.
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