Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has become a superstar for the Oklahoma City Thunder, leading the franchise to its first NBA Championship this past summer. The second season of Netflix’s Starting 5 documented Gilgeous-Alexander’s special playoff run.
Before the 2025 MVP and Finals MVP developed into a stud in the midwest, he was a promising member of the LA Clippers’ core that hoped to contend for years to come.
Gilgeous-Alexander was drafted by the Clippers with the 12th pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, having only worked out for them throughout the process and receiving a promise to be selected by the organization at the time.
The guard quickly became the starting point guard for the franchise, impressing throughout the season and leading them to a surprising playoff berth.
The Clippers took two games from the Golden State Warriors, who were led by the unstoppable core of Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green.
Gilgeous-Alexander had a spectacular series, helping to overcome a 31-point third quarter deficit in Game 2 and recording a then-playoff career-high 25 points in Game 4.
“It was a great first season with the Clippers,” Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said in Episode 2 of Starting 5. “We blew expectations out of the water. We were not supposed to be very good. We ended up making the playoffs.”
By all accounts, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander appeared to be the point guard of the Clippers future. Paired with the players they hoped to get with their two max contract slots, the future appeared bright.
Netflix’s Starting 5 shed light on what proceeded to happen.
Clippers trade Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to Thunder
Following weeks of speculation, free agent superstar Kawhi Leonard’s decision was announced by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, with Leonard electing to join the LA Clippers July 5, 2019.
“I was getting ready to go Summer League to work out with the team,” Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said.”
Simon Gebrelul, business manager for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, recalled the next few minutes that changed his whole career.
“I’ll never forget, we’re all on the phone together,” Grebrelul said. “And I get the drop-down notification. ‘Kawhi Leonard agrees to sign a multiyear contract with the Los Angeles Clippers.’ You guys went from a fringe playoff team and you guys are about to make a real run. Kawhi’s in his prime, just won a ring with the Raptors. We were celebrating.”
But it didn’t end there.
“Drop-down notification again,” Gebrelul continues. “Paul George to the Clippers. We’re like, “Paul George, Shai, and Kawhi. You guys have a new big three! You guys are the best team in the NBA at this point. We’re celebrating. We’re yelling on the phone.
Then the next drop-down on my phone: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder.”
In a matter of minutes, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and his team went from celebrating joining forces with Leonard and George to wondering what exactly is next.
“In the beginning, it was kind of like a punch in the gut. We’re like, ‘damn.’ And then Shai, right away, was like, ‘it’s all good.’
“He just turned it into a positive. Then he’s like, “I have my own situation now. Now, I can really rock.’ The next morning, he went to the gym. And he didn’t left the gym for maybe a month straight.”
And just like that, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander rerouted his summer and focused on what he needed to do with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
“I didn’t see it coming,” Gilgeous-Alexander said on Netflix’s Starting 5. “I just remember thinking to myself, ‘I had proved to the Clippers organization that I was worth the pick and a good enough basketball player to be their starting point guard.’ I remember thinking to myself, ‘Okay, now I have to redo it all again with the Oklahoma City Thunder.’
“I wanted to make sure Oklahoma City felt like, when it was all said and done, they won the trade. So it might have looked one way at the time, but that was my focus, to try to flip the script.”
The scene flipped to the game at hand: the LA Clippers visiting the Oklahoma City Thunder for their second early-season matchup.
“The Clippers came into town and I would be lying to you if I tell you I don’t get up to play the Clippers every time… For obvious reasons.”
The Clippers went on to have some light regular season success and reached the Western Conference Finals in 2021, but never reached the NBA Finals. Meanwhile, the Thunder finally reached the NBA Finals after rebuilding for years and won the 2025 NBA Championship.
