Latest news with #ShaiGilgeousAlexander
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Thunder's Isaiah Hartenstein sounds off on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's ‘ego'
The post Thunder's Isaiah Hartenstein sounds off on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's 'ego' appeared first on ClutchPoints. Oklahoma City Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein reflected on his first season with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the league's Most Valuable Player, scoring title champion, and NBA Finals MVP. In a recent interview with Philadelphia 76ers' Paul George, Hartenstein reflected on winning two seven-game series en route to his and the franchise's first championship, as well as what makes Gilgeous-Alexander such a special player and teammate. Amid Gilgeous-Alexander's accolades, national praise, and ascension to stardom in the 2024-25 season, Hartenstein says the MVP's humble approach to leading the Thunder's offense stands out most, per Podcast P with Paul George. 'He has no ego. There's no I'm just gonna score, I'm trying to make it by myself — it's never that,' Hartenstein said. 'There were even times at the beginning of the season where he threw me a pass, he got trapped, and I threw it to the next man to get a shot. And I'm like, 'Sorry. I'll finish it next time to get you an assist,' and he's like I don't care. I just wanna win. So, do whatever you need. Even if he's putting up those huge numbers, he's not searching them.' Gilgeous-Alexander's effort on defense sets the right example in his role as the Thunder's leader. 'He's trying to make the team as best as possible,' Hartenstein added. 'Him playing on both ends of the court — I think that's something that's super underrated. He plays defense. You can't just go pick on him, and he tries on defense. It's not like I settled for five seconds. I'm tired. I'm gonna just chill on defense. He doesn't do that. When you see that, it just gives us the push, gives us the confidence that he's gonna do it on both sides of the court, for sure.' Shai Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 30.3 points on 44.3% shooting, 5.6 assists, 4.6 rebounds, 1.9 steals, and 1.6 blocks per game in the Thunder's seven-game NBA Finals series against the Indiana Pacers. Isaiah Hartenstein on the Nuggets, Pacers en route to Thunder title Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein addressed Stephen A Smith's old take and why the Nuggets were a tougher series compared to the Pacers in the NBA Finals. 'We were always confident throughout the series,' Hartenstein said. 'I think the only series where we were kind of a little bit against the ropes was Denver — just Jokic. The way they play. They've been there before, and that's probably the only series where we were like, even if we do everything right, they probably still have a chance. Every other series, we were like, if we do the right things, we're good.' Hartenstein helped the Thunder win its first championship in franchise history. Related: Thunder star Jalen Williams roasted by fans for recreating Kobe Bryant injury photo Related: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's 10 greatest accolades, ranked
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Tyrese Haliburton breaks down Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander path to becoming MVP
The post Tyrese Haliburton breaks down Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander path to becoming MVP appeared first on ClutchPoints. Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton recently offered high praise for Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander while appearing on The Pat McAfee Show, reflecting on the Thunder's dominance and Gilgeous-Alexander's ascension to MVP status during the 2024–25 NBA season. Haliburton, who is currently recovering from a torn Achilles sustained in Game 7 of the NBA Finals, commended Gilgeous-Alexander for his ability to control games and efficiently score at all three levels. The two All-Star guards faced off in the NBA Finals, where the Thunder defeated the Pacers in a tightly contested seven-game series. When asked whether Indiana expected Oklahoma City's offensive explosiveness and whether Gilgeous-Alexander is the best offensive player in the league, Haliburton acknowledged the Thunder's strength and Gilgeous-Alexander's elite skill set. 'I mean we definitely expected it. They were the best team in the NBA all year,' Haliburton said. 'Shai is the MVP for a reason – he gets paint touches at an elite level… He doesn't come across stature-wise as this big, bulky guy, but he does a great job. He gets to his spots, can score at all three levels, he's MVP for a reason. I mean the season he put together [is] one of the greatest seasons in NBA history.' Tyrese Haliburton reflects on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's MVP rise after Finals clash Gilgeous-Alexander, 27, averaged 32.7 points, 6.4 assists, five rebounds, 1.7 steals, and one block per game while shooting 51.9% from the field and 37.5% from three over 76 games. His consistency and late-game execution helped power Oklahoma City to a franchise-best 68–14 regular-season record, earning him the 2025 NBA Most Valuable Player award. The Thunder's postseason run further cemented Gilgeous-Alexander's place among the league's elite. In the 2025 NBA Finals, he averaged 30.3 points, 5.6 assists, 4.6 rebounds, 1.9 steals, and 1.6 blocks per game while shooting 44.3% from the field across seven games against the Pacers. His Game 7 performance — 29 points, 12 assists, five rebounds, two blocks, and a steal — was pivotal in Oklahoma City's 103–91 championship-clinching win. The Finals MVP award capped off a historic year for the Thunder guard. Days after winning the title, Gilgeous-Alexander signed a four-year, $285 million contract extension to remain the face of Oklahoma City's franchise. Haliburton's praise adds to the growing admiration Gilgeous-Alexander has received from peers across the league. The Pacers guard, who played a central role in Indiana's first Finals appearance since 2000, had averaged 17.3 points, 8.6 assists, and 5.3 rebounds per game in the 2025 postseason before suffering his injury in the decisive Game 7. As both franchises look toward the future, the Finals matchup between Gilgeous-Alexander and Haliburton may mark the beginning of a budding rivalry between two of the NBA's premier young guards. For now, Gilgeous-Alexander's MVP campaign and title run stand as the defining story of the 2024–25 season. Related: Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein's 'funny' response to Stephen A. Smith diss Related: Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander joins Stone Cold Steve Austin with rare honor
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
NBA star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander shares wisdom and 'aura' with aspiring basketball players
It was a very special day for some young basketball players in Toronto, as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was in town for an event hosted by his father Vaughan's non-profit. The NBA all-star, MVP, and champion shared some words of wisdom, as well as his 'aura' with those who attended. CBC's Lane Harrison has the story.
CBC
2 days ago
- Sport
- CBC
NBA star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander shares wisdom and 'aura' with aspiring basketball players
It was a very special day for some young basketball players in Toronto, as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was in town for an event hosted by his father Vaughan's non-profit. The NBA all-star, MVP, and champion shared some words of wisdom, as well as his 'aura' with those who attended. CBC's Lane Harrison has the story.
Globe and Mail
4 days ago
- Politics
- Globe and Mail
Letters to the editor, July 26: ‘It would diminish all of us if we restrict immigration to the 'right people,' those whose previous advantages allow easy assimilation'
Re 'Alberta Premier Danielle Smith dismisses, demands apology for Jasper wildfire report' and 'Trump sues Wall Street Journal, Rupert Murdoch for Epstein birthday letter coverage' (July 19): Two of three headlines on Page A3 feature democratically elected politicians complaining about or suing over reports which disagree with their particular narratives. Apparently the art of the deal and its followers do not abide any type of disagreement whatsoever. Interesting times. Vicki Nash-Moore Collingwood, Ont. Re 'A shrinking population is hardly what this country needs right now' (Opinion, July 19): Reducing immigration would not be walling ourselves off from the rest of humanity. I believe the root problem is declining birth rates, which is an affordability problem that should be fixed first. Using immigration to supplement declining population can create a never-ending cycle. New Canadians face the same economic issues such as access to homeownership, timely health care etc. Instead we should utilize a planned and selective approach to complement economic growth, fill gaps and ensure positive impacts for both existing and new Canadians. Joanne O'Hara Oakville, Ont. An ugly underlying aspect to the immigration discussion: It is clear to me that Pierre Poilievre's 'right people in the right numbers' is a Trump-like signal to his base for more white Christian immigrants and fewer refugees. We celebrate athletes such as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, whose family comes from Antigua and Barbuda, and authors such as Esi Edugyan, whose parents are from Ghana. Yet both countries were threatened with a U.S. travel ban; not the right people in the view of the Trump administration. Most immigrants are not famous, nor are their children. The vast majority are hardworking, law-abiding citizens who love Canada because it was a refuge from hardship elsewhere. In that way, they are similar to those of us whose white forebears left Europe for better lives. It would diminish all of us if we restrict immigration to the 'right people,' those whose previous advantages allow easy assimilation. David Steele Saskatoon Re 'Follow through' (Letters, July 19): Lurking behind a letter-writer's comments about housing refugees only after all Canadians have homes first – 'cold is just as deadly as bombs' – is a surprising rationale, and a troubling one for me in the extreme. We thankfully live in a war-free country. Almost everyone knows where they will rest their heads at night, comparatively speaking. I am not unaware of our own homeless populations, a great tragedy. But remedies are sought and often found because we care. For refugees, trying to survive in a world that seeks to destroy their homes, their lives and their hopes of surviving with peace and optimism is a hell on Earth. As human beings – and Canadians – we have always been our brother's and sister's keepers, no matter where they live. Indifference to their needs and survival would diminish us all. Surely compassion is borderless. Joan McNamee Kamloops My group sponsored Syrian Kurd refugee families that arrived in 2016. When a young couple arrived, joining those already there, I shed tears as I saw 12 family members greeting the newcomers, hugging and kissing. I cried to myself thinking of my grandparents, who arrived by ship before the First World War, one or two at a time. They all fled the Czarist Russian Empire and built lives for themselves and their families in Montreal. Earlier this summer, my 'Syrians' invited us to celebrate the arrival of a newly arrived bride with about 30 other at a picnic in the park. It included youngsters born in Toronto. Like my Jewish grandparents, they had been most vulnerable and are now settled Canadians. Today, Palestinian Gazans are the most susceptible group. Canada recognized that, but gave a cynical invitation. It's never too late to do better. Allan Fox O. Ont, Toronto Re 'The Giller Prize was a rare CanLit success story. Now it might become a casualty of a foreign war' (Opinion, July 19): Giller Prize executive director Elana Rabinovitch has worked tirelessly to promote Canadian literature, for which we should all be grateful. It is suggested that authors such as Omar El Akkad and Madeleine Thien have 'betrayed' Ms. Rabinovich. How so? They won the Giller in 2021 and 2016, respectively. They could not have predicted Israel's ramped-up war efforts after Oct. 7, 2023. I find it an absurd notion that Giller winners who speak out against Israel should return their prize money. A literary prize is not hush money. Anne Hansen Victoria I would like to ask all the Giller winners who have been boycotting the prize because of its association with Scotiabank: Why, if the bank's money is so tainted, they have not returned their own prize money? I would also like to know how they justify depriving other Canadian writers of the chance to earn the same large amount of money and get the same boost in sales? The war in Gaza is still going on, so I don't know what this boycott has achieved except to defund the Giller and make all future sponsors think twice about funding a literary prize. It's a complete shame. Goldie Morgentaler Professor emerita, department of English, University of Lethbridge It would indeed be sad if the Giller Prize were to end. But any award that is heavily associated with and financed by a single corporation or wealthy individual is by definition going to be fraught. If an artist who has benefitted from this prize later finds that the entity behind it has been involved in activities they find morally repulsive, must they muzzle themselves? Why? I think the real lesson is that important events benefitting the arts cannot be sustainably supported by the private sector. In light of how much benefit comes to Canada from artistic endeavours such as strong Canadian literature, I think this is a clear case where Canada should step up to the plate to support the continuation of the Giller. Paul Rasmussen Victoria Re 'I'm not offended when people praise my spoken English' (Opinion, July 19): I also believe in having 'a bit more faith in the better side of human nature' when it comes to clearing up potential cultural misunderstandings. That being said, context is everything. In 2018, Donald Trump's infamous and profane remarks on nations in the African continent provides background to his remarks on Liberian President Joseph Boakai's 'good English.' This was not an innocent remark; instead, it was offensive and disrespectful, as made clear in his previous comment on Africa and therefore Africans in general. Pointe finale. Veena Dwivedi St. Catharines, Ont. Letters to the Editor should be exclusive to The Globe and Mail. Include your name, address and daytime phone number. Keep letters to 150 words or fewer. Letters may be edited for length and clarity. To submit a letter by e-mail, click here: letters@
