Shai Gilgeous-Alexander isn’t satisfied with just one ring. Fresh off winning his first championship, the Thunder star said it’s only “a step in the right direction,” stressing that his ultimate goal is to keep pushing for more titles while becoming the best version of himself.
“A step in the right direction for sure,” Gilgeous-Alexander said on his title run. “All of the guys that I study, idolize, and look up to, and strive to get to that level, have done it multiple, multiple, and multiple of times. There is still a lot more work to be done. Any of them will tell you it only gets harder every time. So, a lot more work to do for sure.”
Many players would be content with winning one championship in their career. Even fresh off his first title win, however, Shai wants more and he believes the run has only just begun.
“I didn’t play basketball and pick up basketball just to win one time and be done, I guess it’s that simple,” Gilgeous-Alexander added. “I strive to be the best version of myself and win as many as I can. I’ve been blessed with the opportunity and the group around me to help me win one. I checked that box, and I’m still after the pursuit of my final goal, which is the final version of myself.”
The Thunder were more than winners last year, they were dominant. They went 68-14 en route to the championship, boasting a +12.9 point differential by the end of the season. With an impressive 120.5 scoring average, it’s clear they were unmatched offensively and that’s mostly thanks to Shai.
Ever since he arrived in 2019, SGA has been running the show in Oklahoma City and it paid off last season when he put on one of the most impressive regular seasons in recent history. He averaged 32.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 6.4 assists per game on 51.9% shooting, leading the league in scoring and free-throw shooting. He won his first MVP award, just weeks before being named Finals MVP.
On many counts, it was a historic season for Shai and he’s only just 27 years old. With so much time in front of him, it’s easy for Gilgeous-Alexander to take things for granted and just coast through this next season. Championship hangovers are real and many great champions have experienced them.
In the case of the Thunder star, however, winning it all has only increased his desire for success. With a true hunger for greatness and victory, Shai doesn’t want to stop at just one and he’s already locked in to pursue another. That’s alongside Chet Holmgren, Jaylen Williams, and Isaiah Hartenstein. With the core so young and only getting better, the Thunder will be in the mix for years to come.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander could have treated last year’s title as the peak of his career, but that’s not how he’s wired. He’s hungry for more, and he’s already looking at ways to push both himself and the Thunder to another level. With his prime just starting and a young, talented roster around him, the window in Oklahoma City is wide open. If Shai keeps building on what he just did, the championship he won last year might only be the first chapter of a much bigger story.
