After a statement win over the defending champion Denver Nuggets, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander didn’t just walk off the floor with another monster stat line - he walked off as a proud ambassador of Canadian basketball. The Thunder star dropped 34 points on a hyper-efficient 11-of-16 shooting night, dished out 13 assists, and led Oklahoma City to a 121-111 victory.
But when the final buzzer sounded, the spotlight wasn’t just on his own performance. It was also on a fellow Canadian finally getting his due.
Jamal Murray, who logged a double-double of his own with 12 points and 12 assists, was recently named an NBA All-Star for the first time. And for Gilgeous-Alexander, that recognition for his countryman was more than a nice moment - it was a long time coming.
Amazon Crew if Steve Nash is the best Canadian of all time
— NBA Courtside (@NBA__Courtside) January 31, 2026
Steve Nash chose SGA. Rest of the crew picked Steve. pic.twitter.com/895q9wo7GR
“Well-deserving - he's playing amazing this year,” SGA said postgame. “He’s earned it for sure. Might be a little late, to be honest.”
That sentiment echoes what a lot of NBA fans and analysts have felt for years. Murray’s talent has never been in question.
His postseason heroics, especially during Denver’s title run, were undeniable. But All-Star nods can sometimes lag behind the reality on the court - and for Murray, the wait is finally over.
Gilgeous-Alexander didn’t stop there. He used the moment to reflect on the broader rise of Canadian basketball - a movement he’s now at the forefront of, but one that was sparked long before he entered the league.
“Growing up, it was like never in a million years,” he said. “Steve Nash was the only one.
He was an anomaly, and it didn’t make sense. He was short and not athletic… it was, like, yeah, it’s flukey.
Shows how good Steve was.”
That’s not just humility from SGA - it’s a nod to the trailblazers who helped make this current wave of Canadian NBA talent possible. Names like Andrew Wiggins, Cory Joseph, and Tristan Thompson don’t always make headlines, but their presence in the league helped normalize the idea that Canadian players could not only compete - but thrive - at the highest level.
“They laid the foundation,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “And we’ve been able to run with it. It’s our job to carry it on, and I think we’re doing a good job.”
It’s hard to argue with that. Gilgeous-Alexander is not just one of the best Canadian players in the league - he’s one of the best players in the league, period. He’s putting together another MVP-caliber season, and on Sunday night, he showed once again why he’s the engine behind one of the West’s most dangerous young teams.
And now, he’s got the backing of a Canadian legend. Steve Nash - two-time MVP, eight-time All-Star, and a member of the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team - recently declared Gilgeous-Alexander the greatest Canadian NBA player ever. That’s high praise from a player who helped redefine the point guard position and led the league in assists five times during his Hall of Fame career.
For SGA, that kind of recognition isn’t just flattering - it’s a sign of how far Canadian basketball has come. From being a rarity in the league to producing All-Stars and MVP candidates, the country’s basketball pipeline is thriving. And with players like Gilgeous-Alexander and Murray leading the charge, it’s clear the next generation is in good hands.
Sunday’s win wasn’t just another notch in the Thunder’s growing resume - it was a celebration of how far Canadian hoops has come, and a reminder that the best may still be ahead.