Shai Gilgeous-Alexander isn’t just putting up numbers-he’s building a legacy, one 20-point game at a time.
On Sunday, the 27-year-old Thunder star quietly made NBA history once again, dropping his 93rd straight 20-point game in a win over the Portland Trail Blazers. That puts him ahead of Wilt Chamberlain for the second-longest such streak in league history. Yes, that Wilt Chamberlain-the man who still holds over 60 NBA records despite retiring more than 50 years ago.
Now, Gilgeous-Alexander is chasing Chamberlain’s all-time mark of 126 consecutive 20-point games. That’s rarefied air, and the fact that SGA is even in the same conversation speaks volumes about his consistency, scoring versatility, and the relentless control he has over the game.
But this isn’t just about a streak. It’s about a player at the peak of his powers, leading a young Oklahoma City Thunder team that’s already won a title and is somehow looking even better this season. Let’s break down what makes this run so special-and why Gilgeous-Alexander’s name deserves to be mentioned alongside the all-time greats.
1. The 20-Point Club: SGA Joins Elite Company
To appreciate how rare this scoring streak is, consider this: Michael Jordan and Kevin Durant never got past 72 straight 20-point games. Kobe Bryant?
His longest run was 63. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had a couple of impressive streaks in the 70s, but even he didn’t hit 93.
Elgin Baylor’s best was 64.
Gilgeous-Alexander has now done it 93 times in a row-and counting.
This isn’t just about volume scoring. It’s about showing up every night, regardless of opponent, game script, or defensive scheme, and getting buckets. That kind of dependability is what separates stars from superstars.
2. Driving the League-Literally
SGA isn’t just scoring-he’s doing it in a way that’s uniquely his own. Since November 1 of last year, he’s led the NBA in total drives to the basket with a staggering 1,838-several hundred more than the next player. And he’s making those drives count.
He’s scored over 1,400 points on drives during that span, with only Cade Cunningham cracking the 1,000-point mark. That’s not just volume-it’s dominance in the most physical, contested part of the floor.
Defenders know it’s coming. They just can’t stop it.
3. Pull-Up Precision
And if you do manage to wall off the paint? Good luck with that too.
Gilgeous-Alexander has also become the league’s most dangerous pull-up shooter. He’s the only player in the NBA to score over 1,000 points on pull-up jumpers since the start of his streak, logging 1,189. He’s hitting nearly 50 percent on those shots overall, and 44.7 percent on pull-up threes-numbers that are borderline absurd given the difficulty of those looks.
Among players with at least 100 pull-up attempts this season, only Brandon Ingram joins SGA in shooting at least 49 percent. That’s elite company for one of the toughest shots in basketball.
4. Winning Matters-And SGA’s Doing That Too
This isn’t just a personal heater-it’s fueling wins.
Last season, the Thunder won a franchise-record 68 games and became the youngest team in NBA history to win a championship. Even more impressive? They did it with a league-record 54 double-digit victories.
And this season, they’re off to an even hotter start. Sunday’s win pushed them to 20-1, making them just the fourth team in NBA history to start a season that strong.
The others? The 2015-16 Warriors, 1993-94 Rockets, and 1969-70 Knicks.
Two of those teams won it all.
Right now, OKC leads the league in net rating (+15.3) and is allowing just 103.5 points per 100 possessions-comfortably the best defensive mark in the NBA. The second-best team, Houston, is nearly seven points behind.
In other words, the Thunder are suffocating teams on defense and slicing them up on offense-and Gilgeous-Alexander is the engine behind it all.
5. The New Standard for Greatness
Earlier this year, in Season 2 of Netflix’s Starting Five documentary, Gilgeous-Alexander made a comment that turned heads: “If I have 30, it’s a bad game.”
He wasn’t joking.
Through 21 games this season, he’s averaging 32.5 points per game. If he keeps that pace, it’ll mark his fourth straight season averaging 30 or more-a feat only a handful of legends have matched. We’re talking Allen Iverson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Adrian Dantley, and Jerry West.
Only three players in league history have more such seasons: Michael Jordan (eight), Wilt Chamberlain (seven), and Oscar Robertson (six).
That’s the level SGA is operating at right now. And the scariest part? He’s only 27.
Bottom Line:
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander isn’t just producing at an MVP level-he’s redefining what it means to be a modern NBA superstar. He’s efficient, he’s relentless, and he’s leading a championship-caliber team with a quiet intensity that’s becoming his trademark.
The streak is impressive, no doubt. But the bigger story is the total package: elite scoring, elite efficiency, elite leadership-and a team that might just be building a dynasty around him.
Keep watching. We’re witnessing greatness in real time.