Right now, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander isn’t just knocking on the door of NBA superstardom - he’s already inside, feet up, MVP trophy in hand, and a championship ring glinting under the spotlight. The Oklahoma City Thunder guard has leveled up in a way that puts him in rare air.
We’re not just talking about top-five conversations or All-NBA nods anymore. We’re talking legacy.
We’re talking names like Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant - the kind of company where greatness isn’t just measured by stats, but by how you bend the game to your will.
And if anyone knows what that pressure cooker feels like, it’s LeBron James. At 40, LeBron may no longer be the league’s central figure, but he wore that crown longer than most players even stay in the league. So when LeBron speaks on the next generation - especially someone like Shai - it’s worth listening.
On a recent episode of the Mind The Game podcast with Steve Nash, LeBron broke down what makes Gilgeous-Alexander such a nightmare to guard. His scoring?
Efficient. His control?
Surgical. And his ability to manipulate defenses?
Elite.
“You gotta keep him off the free-throw line. Which is hard,” LeBron said.
“He uses these angles. He knows how to manipulate the game in a good way.
He knows what to do, what not to do. He’s always looking for hands, arms and elbows in his space.”
That ability to draw contact and make defenders pay has drawn comparisons to James Harden’s Houston days - when Harden turned free throws into a nightly art form. But here’s where things get interesting: while Gilgeous-Alexander does get to the line frequently, the numbers don’t paint him as overly reliant on whistles. In fact, among the all-time great 30-point scorers, his free-throw rate is surprisingly middle-of-the-pack.
What separates Shai is how much of his damage comes from the field. He’s on pace for his fourth season with 700-plus made field goals - something Harden has only done twice in his 17-year career.
That’s not a knock on Harden, but it’s a testament to how Shai’s scoring profile is built on more than just freebies. He’s efficient, versatile, and relentless.
LeBron continued: “He’s going to make his field goals. Shai is going to make his 11-12 field goals a game at a high rate.
That’s already 24-25-26 points right there. You make 11 field goals, that’s 22 points.
He makes a couple of 3s, that’s 24-26 points. If you’re giving him 12-13 free throws, when he shoots at a high clip too, that’s when 27 turns to 38.”
That math checks out - and it underscores just how complete Shai’s scoring game has become. He doesn’t need the whistle to be effective, but if he gets it? Good luck.
What makes Gilgeous-Alexander so tough to contain is that he’s a four-level scorer. He can get to the rim at will - he’s led the league in drives multiple times - but he’s just as comfortable pulling up from mid-range or stepping back beyond the arc.
That stepback three? It’s back in the bag, and it’s looking smoother than ever.
And while LeBron’s analysis was thoughtful, there’s a sense that the league may have already caught up - or even passed - some of that older perspective. Shai isn’t just a rising star anymore.
He’s the engine of a Thunder team that’s pushing into the league’s upper echelon. He’s not trying to prove he belongs; he’s proving he dominates.
“The head of the snake is Shai,” LeBron added. “You gotta understand once he sees the ball go through the free-throw line… without having another body on him or some physical contact or somebody blitzing his pick-and-roll… it just makes them even more dynamic when it trickles down to the rest of the guys.”
That’s the thing with players like Gilgeous-Alexander - once they get comfortable, it’s not just about individual brilliance. It’s about how that gravity affects the entire team. When he’s cooking, defenses collapse, rotations scramble, and suddenly the Thunder’s young, athletic roster starts feasting on open looks and mismatches.
Shai isn’t just the head of the snake - he’s the conductor of a symphony that’s getting louder by the game. And if you haven’t already, it’s time to start talking about him not just as one of the best in the league right now, but as one of the most complete scorers of his era.