Tag: 2020 Rising Stars Game

Collin Sexton calls Chris Paul ‘every week to pick his brain’

The second-year Cleveland guard talked about his relationship with Paul and how the veteran inspires him both on and off the court.

Chris Paul has thoroughly embraced his role as a mentor.

In his first season in Oklahoma City, he’s taken Shai Gilgeous-Alexander under his wing.

Although he jokingly called himself a “burden” to Gilgeous-Alexander at times, Paul said he’s started to see moments where SGA “gets it” and pointed to a specific instance in the Rising Stars Challenge where Gilgeous-Alexander hustled to get the ball inbounds and up the court because he’s seen Paul do it in games.

But Paul’s mentorship extends far beyond his own team and it’s been going on much longer than just this year.

Second-year Cavaliers guard, Collin Sexton, sat down with HoopsHype at MTN DEW’s Courtside Studios in Chicago during All-Star Weekend. He told Alex Kennedy that Paul is one of the veterans that’s had the biggest impact on him both on and off the court.

“My relationship with Chris goes back to high school when I played on his teams (Team CP3). Ever since then, we’ve just been building that relationship. I talk to him every week and just pick his brain and figure out how he feels about certain plays and things that I can incorporate into my game. It’s cool.”

In addition to Paul, Sexton also said he was influenced by Kevin Love and Avery Johnson because, “those guys, they’ve been where I want to get to. I just take bits and pieces of their game so that I can learn from them and understand the game even more.”

Sexton played in the Rising Stars Game, scoring 21 points in 20 minutes in Team USA’s 151-131 win over Team World.

SGA vows to ‘practice his passing’ after loss in Skills Challenge

Gilgeous-Alexander was eliminated by the Bucks’ Khris Middleton in the first round of Saturday night’s Skills Challenge.

If it wasn’t for that pesky passing target.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander probably would’ve advanced in Saturday night’s Skills Challenge. Instead, he was beaten by Khris Middleton, the two-time All-Star for the Milwaukee Bucks who made his first pass and hit his second 3-point attempt to knock out SGA.

Gilgeous-Alexander fell behind Middleton when his first pass ricocheted off the side of the passing target. He also missed his second attempt, before finally connecting on his third.

He told Maddie Lee of The Oklahoman after the competition that “he knew” the passing skill would be the problem.

“Yeah, I’m going to practice a little more passing from now on and hopefully I’ll have the same opportunity from now on.”

When asked what makes that particular skill so difficult in the challenge setting, Gilgeous-Alexander said that he felt like he “rushed the passing”.

“When I thought about it, I think that’s what it was. I was trying to just fire it in there. When you get there just take your time and make an accurate pass. It goes by faster, obviously.”

Overall, Gilgeous-Alexander has had a successful All-Star Weekend despite getting knocked out of his first Skills Challenge.

He also scored 16 points in Team World’s 151-131 loss to Team USA in the Rising Stars Game on Friday night, where he showcased some crazy handles and his patented Shai scoop.

Chris Paul jokes he’s a ‘burden’ on SGA, says Shai will be ‘so good’

Paul provided some insight into his relationship with the second-year guard ahead of his 10th All-Star Game appearance on Sunday evening.

The relationship between Chris Paul and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been discussed at length, but during the media session for All-Star Weekend, Paul shed some light on how he feels he’s influenced the up and coming Thunder guard.

Although Paul semi-jokingly called himself a “burden on Shai at times”, he pointed to a seemingly innocuous moment in Friday night’s Rising Stars Game that shows just how much of an impact Paul has had this season on SGA.

“It’s funny. He was in the Rookie game last night and the ball went out of bounds and he went and got the ball really quick and tried to get it to the ref to rush it up the floor because he sees me do that all the time in the regular season.”

Paul admits that some of the stuff he says to Gilgeous-Alexander, “he don’t want to hear it”, but said that SGA “is starting to see” and incorporate some of what Paul says into his game. He concluded with the statement, “Shai is going to be so good”.

Gilgeous-Alexander is coming off a 16-point performance in Team World’s 151-131 loss to Team USA in the Rising Stars Game. He will also participate in Saturday night’s Skills Challenge.

As for Paul, he added that the moment got him thinking about his previous coaches and how much of what they’ve said to him still impacts how he plays. Even if Paul and the coach reportedly didn’t get along (ahem, Doc Rivers).

“People always say me and Doc didn’t get along and all this, but there’s a lot of stuff that Doc said to me that I still use all the time. It’s like that with every one of my coaches … Skip Prosser (Paul’s head coach at Wake Forest)”.

Paul will play in his 10th All-Star Game on Sunday, his first since the 2015-16 season when he was still with the Clippers. He said being selected as an All-Star is something you “never take for granted”.

Paul is playing as a member of Team LeBron.

Gilgeous-Alexander scores 16 as Team World falls to Team USA 151-131

The Thunder guard was one of six players for Team World to score in double figures but Team USA won the Rising Stars Challenge 151-131.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 16 points in the Rising Stars Game as the All-Star festivities kicked off inside the United Center in Chicago on Friday night.

Gilgeous-Alexander shot 7-of-15 from the floor and was one of four starters that played 24 minutes for Team World, as they fell to Team USA 151-131.

Fellow Canadian, RJ Barrett, scored a game-high 27 points and was one the players throwing it down as the game devolved into an impromptu dunk contest in the final minutes.

Gilgeous-Alexander scored the majority of his points in the first half, heading into the break with 13 points on 6-of-8 shooting.

Two of those came on a play where SGA showed off his crazy handles, going behind his back and between his legs to get past both Ja Morant and Trae Young, before finishing at the rim with his signature Shai scoop.

It’s was the second consecutive appearance in the Rising Stars Game for Gilgeous-Alexander, who scored 15 points, grabbed five rebounds and dished out six assists in Team World’s 161-144 loss to Team USA.

Gilgeous-Alexander’s All-Star Weekend isn’t over just yet.

He will represent the Thunder on Saturday night when he participates in his first Skills Challenge, taking the place of Pistons guard, Derrick Rose, who won the competition back in 2009.

Rose withdrew from the competition last week due to a reported injury.

WATCH: Gilgeous-Alexander shows off crazy handles in Rising Stars Game

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander impressed with his patented Shai scoop during the first half of the Rising Stars Game on Friday night.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was just out there doing Shai Gilgeous-Alexander things.

While guys like Zion Williamson and Ja Morant were out there throwing down the most aggressive dunks they could, Gilgeous-Alexander stayed on brand, working his way to the hoop and scoring buckets with his signature “Shai scoop” that fans in Oklahoma City have come to love.

Of course, he had to make it a little extra fancy because it is All-Star Weekend.

Gilgeous-Alexander got the starting nod in his second-straight Rising Stars Game, alongside Brandon Clarke, Rui Hachimura, RJ Barrett, and Luka Doncic for Team World.

After making a layup and a 3-pointer, Gilgeous-Alexander showcased the skills that have helped make him the Thunder’s leading scorer and very likely earned him a spot in Saturday’s nights Skills Challenge, where he is replacing Derrick Rose, who withdrew due to a reported injury.

With Team World trailing 24-22, Gilgeous-Alexander brought the ball over midcourt, pulling the ball behind his back to bait Ja Morant before going between his legs to avoid Trae Young. He then took two steps and flipped it up uncontested for the score.

The play was impressive enough to make the announcers stop their conversation and admire the moves.

Gilgeous-Alexander played 12 minutes in the first half, scoring 13 points on 6-of-8 shooting from the field as Team World took an 81-71 lead into the break.

What SGA’s second Rising Stars Game means for his All-Star future

Gilgeous-Alexander is playing in his second-straight Rising Stars Game and is one of four Canadians on the roster for Team World.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander earned a starting nod in Friday night’s Rising Stars Game that kicked off the 2020 All-Star Weekend in Chicago.

A member of Team World, it’s the second-straight Rising Stars appearance for Gilgeous-Alexander, who was selected to last year’s squad as a rookie.

In that game, he scored 15 points, grabbing five rebounds and dishing out six assists, although Team USA beat Team World, 161-144.

In his first season for Oklahoma City, Gilgeous-Alexander is the Thunder’s leading scorer, averaging 19.5 points per game and second on the team in rebounding, pulling down 6.1 boards per game.

It’s not just the statistics that have earned Gilgeous-Alexander a spot showcasing his talents inside the United Center, although they certainly don’t hurt.

He has displayed exponential growth since coming to OKC, essentially ensuring that the Thunder, whenever they do decide to rebuild, won’t have to hit rock bottom before they’re capable of bouncing back and being a title contender.

Gilgeous-Alexander is one of four Canadians on the Team World roster this year, joined by his cousin Nickeil Walker-Alexander, RJ Barrett, and Brandon Clarke.

As noted by Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman, Gilgeous-Alexander’s selection to a second-straight Rising Stars Game as a good indicator of future All-Star appearances. According to Mussatto, in the 25 years that the NBA has held a Rising Stars Game (formerly the Rookie Challenge) 30.5% of the players who participated have gone on to be All-Stars.

And if Gilgeous-Alexander keeps producing plays like the behind the back, through the legs, Shai scoop, it probably won’t be much longer.

Gilgeous-Alexander is also competing in Saturday night’s Skills Challenge, replacing Derrick Rose who dropped out due to injury.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander selected to second-straight Rising Stars game

Gilgeous-Alexander is leading the Thunder in scoring this year at 19.5 points per game and is one of four players from Canada on Team World.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is a rising star in the NBA.

And on Friday, the league made it official. Gilgeous-Alexander was named to his second-straight Rising Stars game as part of the NBA’s All-Star Weekend.

Gilgeous-Alexander is leading the Oklahoma City Thunder in scoring this year at 19.5 points per game. He’s also made NBA history several times this season, including an impressive 20-rebound triple-double on Jan. 13 against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

It’s the second-straight selection to the Rising Stars game for Gilgeous-Alexander. He made Team World as a rookie last year, scoring 15 points while grabbing five rebounds and dishing out six assists in the U.S.’s 161-144 win.

Gilgeous-Alexander is one of four Canadians selected to the World roster the year.

Joining him are Luka Doncic (Slovenia), Nickeil Alexander-Walker (Canada); Deandre Ayton (Bahamas); RJ Barrett (Canada); Memphis Brandon Clarke (Canada); Rui Hachimura (Japan); Moritz Wagner (Germany); Svi Mykhailiuk (Ukraine); and Josh Okogie (Nigeria).

Miles Bridges (Charlotte); Wendell Carter Jr. (Chicago); Devonte’ Graham (Charlotte); Tyler Herro (Miami); Jaren Jackson Jr. (Memphis); Ja Morant (Memphis); Kendrick Nunn (Miami); Eric Paschall (Golden State); PJ Washington (Charlotte); Zion Williamson (New Orleans); and Trae Young (Atlanta) were named to the U.S. Team

The rosters are selected by the league’s assistant coaches.

The Rising Stars game will be played on Friday, Feb. 14 and will tip-off at 8 p.m. CT on TNT.