Shai Gilgeous-Alexander isn’t spending the offseason talking around the edges. The Oklahoma City Thunder star has already turned the page toward a highly anticipated 2026-27 season, and in a recent interview with Time, he made his stance plain: he sees himself as the best player in the NBA.
“I think I’m the best player in the NBA. I think the production that I have night in and night out is best-player-in-the-NBA production,” Gilgeous-Alexander said.
“I think the efficiency that I do it at is best-player-in-the-NBA efficiency. I think everybody picks up a basketball or a soccer ball or a football or a tennis ball to win the game, the match, whatever it is.
And I’ve done my fair share of winning in these past couple years.”
That confidence comes after a run that has left him with plenty of ammunition. Gilgeous-Alexander is a two-time MVP who came within reach of the Finals in back-to-back seasons, something San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama and Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic have not done. Jokic has the 2023 championship on his resume, while Wembanyama is coming off his first Finals appearance.
Gilgeous-Alexander also addressed bouncing back from the Thunder’s loss in the Western Conference Finals against Wembanyama and the Spurs. Now, the focus shifts to another title chase for Oklahoma City, which is aiming for its second championship in three seasons.
The Thunder have reasons to believe the roster can take another step. Chet Holmgren is coming off a breakout season that included his first All-Star selection, and he finished runner-up to Wembanyama for last season’s Defensive Player of the Year. Jalen Williams is healthy, too, giving Oklahoma City a chance to be even better than the team that won it all in 2025.
As for the league’s best player conversation, the names at the top are pretty clear. Most will put SGA, Wembanyama and Jokic in that tier - the order is where the arguments start.
In Other News...
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Took OKCs Playoff Exit Harder Than Fans Knew
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander did not take Oklahoma Citys playoff exit lightly, even after the Thunder moved on from their Western Conference finals loss and into an offseason focused on the next step. His trainer, Nem Ilic, recently described how sharply Gilgeous-Alexander reacted to watching the New York Knicks finish the job in the NBA Finals, a reminder that last springs disappointment stuck with the star guard long after the season ended.
It also helped explain the way Gilgeous-Alexander attacked the summer, with the emphasis on conditioning and getting more comfortable playing off the ball so his game can keep expanding. He already gave a brief preview of that work in preseason, scoring 17 points in 17 minutes in his debut, and Oklahoma City will be watching closely to see how those tweaks carry over once the games count for real. [Read more 🡒]
Aday Mara Is Giving The Thunder A Reason To Rethink His Role
Aday Mara has already done enough in two preseason games to make Oklahoma City take a second look at how it wants to use him. The Thunder rookie has looked comfortable scoring, passing and moving the ball, with head coach Mark Daigneault pointing to Maras footwork, rebounding and playmaking as parts of what has stood out early. He has also had company in the rookie spotlight, with Bennett Stirtz showing he can chip in as a scorer and defender in his own preseason minutes.
For a team that values versatility and quick decisions, Maras early showings are the kind that can complicate the usual rookie conversation. What looked like a straightforward evaluation of size and skill has turned into something a little more interesting, because the Thunder have found a young big who can do more than finish plays around the rim. The question now is whether that gives Oklahoma City a reason to rethink where he fits once the games start to count. [Read more 🡒]
Thunder Let A Young Bucks Guard Make A Late Statement
The Thunders preseason trip to Milwaukee ended with a narrow 128-126 loss, but one of the nights most notable stretches came from a Bucks rookie who seemed to settle in as the game tightened. Brayden Burries came off the bench and gave Milwaukee a useful burst, finishing with 16 points, five rebounds, one assist and two steals in 21 minutes while giving the home team a fresh look against Oklahoma Citys rotations.
Burries biggest impact came late, when his confidence held up as the pace and pressure picked up around him. Bucks coach Taylor Jenkins was encouraged enough by the way the rookie handled the moment to single out his composure afterward, and for the Thunder it was another reminder that even in preseason, young guards can change the feel of a game in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]