Former NBA Sixth Man of the Yr Lou Williams says he instantly understood what the Los Angeles Clippers had been giving up once they traded rookie guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder within the blockbuster deal for Paul George.
Talking on The Underground Lounge, Williams recalled that Gilgeous-Alexander stood out from the second he entered the league through the 2018-19 season. The previous guard stated he considered the rookie as the whole package deal lengthy earlier than he developed into one of many NBA’s premier gamers.
“In our sport you need your younger star to be coachable, a employee, one of many guys, the hardest, smartest. SGA was all of these issues,” Williams stated. “When that commerce occurred for Paul George, I swear to God… when he known as me, the very first thing I requested him was ‘was Shai within the commerce?’ That was the very first thing I requested him. As a result of that’s how a lot I believed in him as a rookie. He was one of many first rookies that I used to be on the staff with that I stated ‘hey that boy going to be a star.’”
The Clippers chosen Gilgeous-Alexander with the eleventh general choose within the 2018 NBA Draft after buying his rights from the Charlotte Hornets on draft evening. He rapidly earned a beginning position, showing in all 82 video games and making 73 begins whereas averaging 10.8 factors, 3.3 assists and a pair of.8 rebounds on 47.6% capturing from the sector. He completed sixth in Rookie of the Yr voting and helped Los Angeles attain the playoffs.
That summer season, the Clippers despatched Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari and a historic package deal of first-round draft picks to Oklahoma Metropolis in alternate for George. The transfer additionally paved the best way for Kawhi Leonard to signal with the franchise in free company, giving Los Angeles one of many league’s most gifted duos.
Whereas the commerce positioned the Clippers as championship contenders, Gilgeous-Alexander steadily developed into one of many NBA’s elite guards in Oklahoma Metropolis.
After rising his scoring common to 19.0 factors in his first season with the Thunder, Gilgeous-Alexander made one other leap by averaging not less than 30 factors per sport in three of the final 4 seasons. He completed fifth in MVP voting in 2022-23 earlier than putting second in 2023-24.
The Canadian guard reached the highest of the league in every of the final two seasons. He averaged an NBA-best 32.7 factors per sport whereas capturing 51.9% from the sector in 2024-25, earning his first MVP award and a First Workforce All-NBA choice. He adopted that by averaging 31.1 factors, 6.6 assists and 4.3 rebounds on a career-high 55.3% capturing in 2025-26, capturing a second consecutive MVP award and one other First Team All-NBA honor.
By way of eight NBA seasons, Gilgeous-Alexander has profession averages of 25.3 factors, 5.3 assists and 4.7 rebounds whereas capturing 50.8% from the sector. He has developed from a promising rookie into the centerpiece of the Thunder franchise, validating the assumption Williams fashioned throughout their lone season collectively in Los Angeles.
