Doc Rivers praises Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's exceeding expectations

Doc Rivers has praised Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for exceeding expectations since his rookie season. Rivers, who coached Gilgeous-Alexander with the Los Angeles Clippers, recognized his potential but admits he did not foresee how successful Gilgeous-Alexander would become. Gilgeous-Alexander, hailing from Hamilton, Ontario, was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder as part of a deal to acquire Paul George in 2019. At that time, he was coming off a season where he averaged just over 10 points per game. Now, he is one of the leading candidates for the NBA MVP award. This season, Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging an amazing 33 points per game and has scored at least 20 points for 62 straight games. Rivers highlighted his ability to maintain a steady pace during games, indicating that this skill has only improved over time. Recently, Gilgeous-Alexander helped the Thunder secure back-to-back wins against Detroit and Milwaukee. Despite a challenging game where he didn't make any three-pointers, he still managed to score 31 points. Thunder coach Mark Daigneault praised Gilgeous-Alexander for his versatility and ability to adapt during games.