Oklahoma City Thunder All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander agreed to a $285 million extension over the summer, securing his future with a franchise he led to its first championship following a legendary season. Gilgeous-Alexander achieved goals that only the greats reach: winning the scoring title, the MVP award, a championship, including the Finals MVP. The best part for Thunder fans is that SGA loves doing it for Oklahoma City.
Gilgeous-Alexander constantly shows his appreciation for the fans of small-market teams like the Thunder's, and he said he prefers them to bigger cities such as New York, Los Angeles, or Toronto, per GQ's Yang-Yi Goh.
“I like smaller cities,” he responds, between sips of a protein shake, when I ask why a stylish young superstar who just signed a four-year, $285 million contract extension isn’t living in Miami or LA or even just half an hour up the road in Toronto. Growing up in working-class Hamilton — the Newark to Toronto’s New York, as the writer Eric Koreen once put it—and playing in Oklahoma City has primed him for a quieter way of life,” Goh wrote.
At this stage of his life, Gilgeous-Alexander, 27, a father and husband, appreciates the calm of a small city, such as the one he hails from in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
“I can walk around here freely. It’s mostly older people walking the dog. I was just in the NBA season for 10 months, and we were all over the place — fans 24/7, on a flight, off a flight,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “In my offseason, I want the absolute opposite, so I just hide out here.”
Gilgeous-Alexander was given a key to the city by Hamilton's mayor, Andrea Horwath, last August.
Mark Daigneault on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's ‘trend' for Thunder
Thunder All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander knew he'd reach the goals he achieved last season, which is part of what makes him a special player. Head coach Mark Daigneault discussed Gilgeous-Alexander's unique mental approach to the game and how it's benefited his career.
“The trend with Shai is that he always knew before any of us,” Daigneault said. “He has always had a very clear vision for himself of not only where he wants to go, but what he needs to do next.”
Entering the upcoming regular season, the only question now is whether Gilgeous-Alexander can lead the Thunder to back-to-back titles.
