How good is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Actually?

After the last couple of seasons, SGA has emerged as one of the best, yet most controversial and misunderstood, players in the NBA. He has accomplished so much in such little time and has risen to the top of the league. However, many fans still doubt his abilities and call him one of the most overrated players in the league. With all that said, how good is he really?

Where does SGA rank in the league right now? It is easy to say that he is the best player in the league. The only player who can truly be argued to be in the number one spot instead is Nikola Jokic. Some may say that Luka Doncic or Victor Wembanyama could be considered number one. However, Luka struggles too much on the defensive end, and we can see that Wemby just is not quite there yet. However, it certainly seems like it will not be long before Wemby takes the top spot. SGA’s scoring is some of the best we have ever seen from a guard. To keep things simple, by looking at advanced statistics, you can see that SGA had one of, if not the most, efficient seasons a guard has ever had in this league. What truly makes him exceptional is that he is very well-rounded. He is not just a scorer; he can also pass and defend at an extremely high level. He has led the OKC Thunder to the best record in the NBA for the last two years.

Now, you can completely argue that Jokic is better. His statistics are things we have never seen before and truly are some of the greatest of all time. However, his defense and recent records may be holding him back from guaranteeing the number one spot over SGA.

The accolades he has speak for themselves. SGA has four All-NBA First Team selections, two MVPs, and a Finals MVP. SGA is one of only 11 players all time to achieve all of these awards, and only one of three point guards to ever do so. He received all of these awards faster than all-time greats like LeBron James and Stephen Curry did. When looking at it from this perspective, SGA already seems to be one of the all-time greats, which is truly remarkable considering he is just 28 years old and has much more to come in his career.

So, with all of these great things said about him, why is he one of the most criticized players in the league? It truly comes down to one thing. At times, he makes the game less enjoyable to watch. He is accused of being a “foul baiter” and constantly trying to get himself to the line rather than play ethically. At times, he does do this. But the criticism he receives for it is much larger than it should be. SGA drives to the hoop nearly more than any other player in the league. Driving to the hoop is bound to result in more fouls being drawn. And even though it may make some people mad, drawing fouls is a skill and a part of the game. He is not breaking any rules by doing this. And if you are still not convinced, it is important to point out that SGA did not even attempt the most free throws per game last season. Both Luka Doncic and Deni Avdija attempted more per game.

SGA is a remarkable talent, and he receives much more criticism than he deserves. So, is he the best player in the league, and is he already an all-time great?