Shai Gilgeous-Alexander continues to draw praise across the league, but few endorsements have been as strong as the one Jeff Teague delivered on the latest episode of the Club520 podcast. As Shai pushes through another MVP-caliber season, the conversation around his legacy is beginning to take shape.
“He could become the second-best point guard of all time,” said Teague. “If he stays on this run for a couple more years… if he wins the championship again with another MVP and Finals MVP, he’s already surpassed everybody, to me. It’s only him, Magic Johnson, and Steph. He’s definitely above Isiah Thomas if he wins it this year.”
When ranking the greatest point guards of all time, it is typically Steph Curry and Magic Johnson at the top spots, followed by everybody else. When it comes to winning, making an impact, and consistently putting up great numbers, very few can compare to those legends.
With Shai and this Thunder team, however, fans are already re-evaluating their all-time lists. Since making his first All-Star roster in 2022-23, Gilgeous-Alexander has been on an absolute tear. Last season, after leading OKC to a 68-14 record, he won his first MVP, followed by his first Finals MVP once the series was over. We did not know it at the time, but it was only the beginning of Shai’s miraculous run.
This season, he is arguably better than ever with averages of 32.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 1.6 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game on 56.2 percent shooting (career high) and 45.4 percent shooting from three (career high).
With back-to-back MVPs and championships in play, Shai could suddenly go from a young rising star to one of the most accomplished athletes in the NBA. More than that, he would elevate his legacy to heights rarely achieved.
Compared to Magic and Curry, Shai still has a long way to go in terms of individual accolades, but a few more years of this kind of dominance could be all he needs to enter all-time great territory.
Back in the 1980s, Magic Johnson was displaying a similar level of greatness, and he had the hardware to show for it as a three-time MVP, five-time champion, and three-time Finals MVP. While his Lakers teams were great, they were not doing what the Thunder are right now. At 24-1, only the 2016 Warriors are comparable, and Shai’s nightly consistency is a huge reason why.
As for Curry, he has the strongest case for the greatest point guard right now. His revolutionary three-point shooting changed the game and led to the formation of one of the greatest dynasties in NBA history. As a two-time MVP, four-time champion, and 11-time All-Star, Steph’s resume is impressive, and his legacy is secure.
The difference with Shai, of course, is that he plays both ends of the floor. While Curry is mostly an offensive specialist, Gilgeous-Alexander does a little of everything, and that versatility is what makes him so hard to contain.
At this rate, if he can become a two-time champion and back-to-back MVP before his 28th birthday, he will be on track for one of the greatest careers in modern NBA history, easily on par with not only Magic and Steph, but also Michael Jordan himself.
