Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Covers SLAM 254

SLAM: You’re presently the frontrunner to win MVP this season—in line with Vegas odds, in line with the media, and so on. How a lot do you take note of stuff like that, and the way large of a purpose is it for you?  

SGA: It’s one other blessing. So many issues [happened] from then to now for me to get right here. A few of it’s luck, a few of it’s serving to fingers, a few of it’s exhausting work. Plenty of stars should align and issues have for me, and I’m tremendous blessed for that. The sensation is wonderful. Clearly, nothing is gained in January, clearly. However to be enjoying on the degree that I’m, to be acknowledged, to my workforce successful—issues are clearly moving into the suitable route. I haven’t reached any of my targets but, so I’m not glad. I’ve much more to perform. The work gained’t cease. However yeah, headed down the suitable path, for certain.  

SLAM: Anthony Edwards made a remark not too long ago that you just have been the clear-cut MVP this season and may’ve been the MVP final season. What’s it like having different star gamers offer you that kind of reward?   SGA: Your friends do it at a excessive degree. They perceive the grind it takes, perceive the each day. No one understands greater than them. To me, their opinion holds essentially the most weight as a result of they do the very same factor that I do on the identical degree and perceive what it takes. So it’s feeling.  

SLAM: Do you agree along with his assertion that you need to’ve gained final 12 months?

SGA: Umm, I don’t actually care about [not winning it last year] a lot. It’s one thing I can’t management. I can’t management votes. I attempted to present final 12 months my all, tried to be one of the best model of myself. And I assume that wasn’t sufficient. So, my mindset within the summertime was to attempt to make it possible for this 12 months it was sufficient.  

SLAM: There are individuals on-line who evaluate you to Allen Iverson. Have you ever seen these comparisons?  

SGA: I haven’t heard these, however I strive to not get into social media and scouring by social media whereas I’m going by the season. However that’s an incredible feeling as nicely. Allen Iverson was, like, my favourite basketball participant rising up—the rationale why I had braids as a child, wore a scarf, the rationale why I began enjoying basketball. So, it’s a cool feeling. The issues he’s finished for the sport, for the tradition—on and off the courtroom—are second to none. In order that’s fairly cool.  

SLAM: Did you research his recreation whenever you have been rising up?  

SGA: I by no means actually studied a lot of his recreation, simply ’trigger I used to be youthful and I simply wasn’t learning [yet]. I used to be simply watching as a fan. However one thing that stood out about him was his supreme confidence. On the courtroom, he performed the identical manner. His confidence by no means wavered. Good shot, unhealthy shot. He made 4 in a row, 5 in a row. He all the time performed the identical manner. Performed exhausting. And off the courtroom, he clearly had the utmost confidence in his trend. His swag. A narrative that all the time caught with me was him taking fines to put on matches. That’s all the time one thing that stood out to me. He all the time made certain he did it his manner, and he went out swinging.

SLAM: You talked about there’s nonetheless much more to perform. What does that checklist of targets appear to be?  

SGA: My largest factor is, I simply wish to win a championship. That’s why you play the sport. After I was in ninth grade and tried out for the workforce, I needed to win a metropolis championship. I all the time simply wish to win—on the most important and highest stage of basketball on this planet. That’s my essential and solely focus. All I actually care about. If I get that at some point, I’ll be all proper.  

SLAM: You have been reduce out of your JV workforce in ninth grade; how a lot did that influence the best way you went about pursuing basketball?  

SGA: I used it as motivation. I by no means sulked or was down unhealthy about it or was in my emotions about it. I simply took it as, I wasn’t ok. I assumed I used to be ok; clearly I wasn’t. I needed to make it possible for I by no means had that feeling once more. And I feel I did a reasonably good job at that.