Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Covers SLAM 254

SLAM: You’re at the moment the frontrunner to win MVP this season—based on Vegas odds, based on the media, and so on. How a lot do you take note of stuff like that, and the way massive of a objective 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 palms, a few of it’s onerous work. Loads of stars must align and issues have for me, and I’m tremendous blessed for that. The sensation is wonderful. Clearly, nothing is received in January, clearly. However to be enjoying on the degree that I’m, to be acknowledged, to my crew profitable—issues are clearly moving into the appropriate route. I haven’t reached any of my targets but, so I’m not glad. I’ve much more to perform. The work received’t cease. However yeah, headed down the appropriate path, for positive.  

SLAM: Anthony Edwards made a remark just lately that you just had been the clear-cut MVP this season and will’ve been the MVP final season. What’s it like having different star gamers provide you with that kind of reward?   SGA: Your friends do it at a excessive degree. They perceive the grind it takes, perceive the day after day. No one understands greater than them. To me, their opinion holds probably the most weight as a result of they do the very same factor that I do on the similar degree and perceive what it takes. So it’s a very good feeling.  

SLAM: Do you agree along with his assertion that you need to’ve received 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 offer final 12 months my all, tried to be the most effective model of myself. And I assume that wasn’t sufficient. So, my mindset within the summertime was to attempt to ensure that this 12 months it was sufficient.  

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

SGA: I haven’t heard these, however I attempt to not get into social media and scouring by way of social media whereas I’m going by way of the season. However that’s a tremendous feeling as nicely. Allen Iverson was, like, my favourite basketball participant rising up—the rationale why I had braids as a child, wore a headscarf, the rationale why I began enjoying basketball. So, it’s a cool feeling. The issues he’s executed 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 sport while you had been rising up?  

SGA: I by no means actually studied a lot of his sport, 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 onerous. 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 positive he did it his manner, and he went out swinging.

SLAM: You talked about there’s nonetheless much more to perform. What does that record 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 crew, I wished to win a metropolis championship. I all the time simply wish to win—on the largest and highest stage of basketball on this planet. That’s my important and solely focus. All I actually care about. If I get that in the future, I’ll be all proper.  

SLAM: You had been reduce out of your JV crew in ninth grade; how a lot did that impression the way in which 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 adequate. I assumed I used to be adequate; clearly I wasn’t. I wished to ensure that I by no means had that feeling once more. And I believe I did a fairly good job at that.