Oklahoma City Thunder general manager Sam Presti highlighted Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's defensive growth during a recent press interview, emphasizing the guard's evolution into a two-way player ahead of the 2024-25 NBA season.
Presti reflected on the strides Gilgeous-Alexander has made since joining the Thunder, particularly his improvements on the defensive end. In addressing Gilgeous-Alexander’s development, Presti noted the importance of becoming a complete player for long-term team success.
“It was 2 years ago, I got asked, ‘What can [SGA] add to the game?' And I said, ‘He's gotta be a two-way player… You can't just have the ball & cook.' That's just not a formula to win,” Presti said.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's two-way dominance fuels Thunder's Western Conference success
Presti emphasized that Gilgeous-Alexander has embraced the challenge and taken his game to a new level by adding defense as a core element of his skill set. The Thunder general manager believes that Gilgeous-Alexander’s ability to impact both ends of the floor is now an “additive strength” for the team.
“He’s become a two-way player. I mean the defense, that’s an additive strength for us. I’d think one of the things with him is just reducing the degree of difficulty and make it a little bit easier on him, especially during the regular season… and that comes with experience,” Presti added.
Gilgeous-Alexander’s performance during the 2023-24 season reflected the significant defensive strides Presti discussed. The Thunder guard averaged 2.0 steals per game while maintaining offensive dominance, scoring 30.1 points per game along with 6.2 assists and 5.3 rebounds. His efforts not only led the Thunder to a Western Conference-best 57-25 record but also earned him second place in the MVP voting behind Denver Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic. Additionally, Gilgeous-Alexander finished seventh in the Defensive Player of the Year race, a testament to his growing impact on defense.
Sam Presti emphasizes making the game easier for SGA
Sam Presti acknowledged the physicality Shai Gilgeous-Alexander faces as a lead player and highlighted the need to make the game easier for the star guard to maintain his efficiency over the course of a long season.
“The play style is important too just because it’s a long year, teams are gonna be really physical with us and him. I think his efficiency can scale, it’s the same stuff but the better we are at making the game easier for him and for everybody, it will really help him. That’s a journey that I’ve been very fortunate to see with a lot of these guys go through this and they get better when it gets simpler,” Presti explained.
The Thunder’s playoff run last season came to an end in the second round after a tough series loss to the Dallas Mavericks. However, with Gilgeous-Alexander continuing to improve on both sides of the ball, the Thunder are optimistic about the future as they aim to contend for a championship. Presti’s comments reflect the organization’s belief in Gilgeous-Alexander as a cornerstone piece and a player whose versatility is key to Oklahoma City’s long-term success.
With the 2024-25 season approaching, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's defensive growth stands as a focal point for both the Thunder and their general manager, as they look to build on last season's success and compete at the highest level.
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