New Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is already putting in the work ahead of his second season in the league. The 6-foot-6 Kentucky product was impressive in his rookie year with L.A. Clippers before coming over as part of the Paul George trade, but he's now bound for even more action as one of the future pieces for OKC moving forward.
While his body is still a work in progress, the long-striding guard is already showing he can create his own shot, raising up to shoot pull-ups, fadeaways and long-range step-backs during this open run.
These clips just have to bring some excitement to a gutted Thunder fan base that lost both of its stars in a matter of a week, first George and then Russell Westbrook, who was dealt to the Houston Rockets.
However there's hope with a talent like Gilgeous-Alexander, who already has a 30-point playoff game to his name and has showed steady improvement through the course of his first season in the league. His handles looks swift and nifty for a guard his height and if Chris Paul remains with the organization, there is plenty the young gun can learn from merely watching the dime maestro in practice.
There's no word to whether Gilgeous-Alexander will play next to Paul if the Thunder do indeed keep the latter and switch the 21-year-old to the off-guard position — all that's there is boundless potential for the future and a good sign of progress this early in the offseason. Watch out.