Utah Jazz star Donovan Mitchell praised Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander after an impressive showing in their season opener on Wednesday night:

Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 26 points, two rebounds, and an assist in OKC's 100-95 loss to the Utah Jazz.

The 21-year-old point guard was part of the Los Angeles Clippers' trade package that was sent to OKC this summer in exchange for Paul George. After an impressive rookie season in which he put up 10.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game, SGA is now considered one of the Thunder's cornerstones as they begin their rebuild.

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OKC had to hit the reset button after back-to-back first-round outs with George and Westbrook, which led to George asking out in order to play with Kawhi Leonard in Los Angeles. Aside from trading George, the Thunder also sent longtime Thunder star Russell Westbrook to the Houston Rockets in exchange for Chris Paul and draft picks. OKC is expected to trade CP3 sometime this season or next summer, which means SGA will be the face of this franchise soon.

For now, the Thunder want the current roster to compete. Their combination of veterans and young prospects has them in a position to do that, even in a tough Western Conference. CP3 and Danilo Gallinari also had strong games against Utah, and if they continue to play this way for the majority of the season, OKC might just rack up enough wins to make it to the playoffs.

Whether this season turns out to be a success or not, OKC may have gotten a future All-Star in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.