Oklahoma City Thunder star guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had some words to share about NBA legend Steve Nash comparing him to Michael Jordan.
Gilgeous-Alexander is going through the eighth season of his career, his seventh with the Thunder. He has risen through the ranks to become one of the league's top stars. He earned the MVP Award last season then went on to lead Oklahoma City to the championship.
The star guard and the Thunder are on the quest for a repeat as they are off to a historic start to the 2025-26 season. Gilgeous-Alexander's success resulted in Nash giving him the Jordan comparison, something that he reacted to during his interview with Taylor Rooks.
“Pretty insane. I don't really love the comparisons just because he's done so many things for the game of basketball. If you ask me though I'm still very far away. I got a lot of work to do,” Gilgeous-Alexander said.
SGA on Steve Nash comparing him to Jordan:
“Pretty insane. I don't really love the comparisons just because he's done so many things for the game of basketball. If you ask me though I'm still very far away. I got a lot of work to do”
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How Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder played against Spurs
It's clear that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander highly respects Michael Jordan's impact on the game of basketball. It was enough for him to downplay Steve Nash's comparison while understanding that his contributions on the court can only get better.
In the meantime, the Thunder had a 16-game win streak going into their NBA Cup semifinal matchup against the San Antonio Spurs. Despite his efforts, the streak came to an end after falling 111-109.
Perimeter shooting made the difference in this matchup. The Spurs prevailed in this category by making 13 3-pointers on a 31% success clip. It wasn't the same for the Thunder as they knocked down nine triples at a 24% rate.
Five players scored in double-digits for Oklahoma City in the loss, including Gilgeous-Alexander. He finished with a stat line of 29 points, five assists, four rebounds, and a steal. He shot 12-of-23 from the field, including 1-of-7 from beyond the arc, and 4-of-4 from the free-throw line. Jalen Williams came next with 17 points and seven rebounds, Chet Holmgren had 17 points and seven rebounds, Alex Caruso put up 11 points and eight rebounds, while Isaiah Hartenstein provided 10 points and eight rebounds.
Oklahoma City fell to a 24-2 record on the season but remain at the top of the Western Conference standings. They are five games above the Denver Nuggets and 5.5 games above the Spurs.
The Thunder will look to bounce back in their next matchup, being at home. They host the Los Angeles Clippers on Dec. 18 at 8 p.m. ET.
