The Oklahoma City Thunder have been one of the NBA's most pleasant surprises this season, and one of the biggest reasons for their success has been the play of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

However, in spite of how well the second-year guard is performing, he makes sure to stay grounded, and the person who helps him with that more than anyone else is his mother:

“The people around me don't let my head get too big,” The Thunder talent said earlier this season, according to Royce Young of ESPN. “Especially my mom. She tells me I suck every day.”

That hasn't stopped Gilgeous-Alexander from having a breakout campaign.

In 59 games this season, the 21-year-old is averaging 19.4 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.1 steals over 35.5 minutes per game while shooting 46.5 percent from the floor, 34.8 percent from three-point range and 80.3 percent from the free-throw line.

The young Thunder talent, who played his collegiate basketball at the University of Kentucky, was originally selected by the Charlotte Hornets (11th pick overall) of the 2018 NBA Draft but was immediately traded to the Los Angeles Clippers.

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He appeared in all 82 contests during his rookie season with the Clippers, registering 10.8 points, 3.3 assists, 2.8 boards and 1.2 steals across 26.5 minutes a night while making 47.6 percent of his field-goal attempts, 36.7 percent of his long-distance tries and 80 percent of his foul shots.

Los Angeles then traded Gilgeous-Alexander to the Thunder in a deal that sent Paul George to the Clippers over the summer.

The Thunder were expected to be a lottery team this year, but instead, they are currently 37-22 and sit in fifth place in the Western Conference standings.