Tag: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Netflix’s Starting 5 Season 2 cast is here and NBA fans should love it

Basketball fans are going to enjoy this.

Netflix’s documentary series about the NBA, Starting 5, will come back for a second season and that is fantastic news for basketball fans.

The first season featured big stars LeBron James, Jayson Tatum, Anthony Edwards, Jimmy Butler, and Domantas Sabonis. It was an enjoyable and entertaining watch that offered fascinating insights into the world of players at dramatically different points in their careers.

USA TODAY’s For The Win spoke to Sabonis about his experience filming the show and what it was like having a documentary career following him around during the Sacramento Kings season.

SEASON 1 INTERVIEW: Domantas Sabonis is ‘scared’ and ready for fans to dive into his life on new Netflix show

For those that watched and enjoyed, they can have something more to look forward to.

According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the show is coming back for another season (!) and will feature five new fresh faces.

The cast is Kevin Durant,Ā James Harden, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jaylen Brown, and Tyrese Haliburton. The show will follow them during the 2024-25 NBA campaign, which features Brown defending his 2024 NBA championship and Gilgeous-Alexander pursing a potential MVP award.

This should be a lot of fun.

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ESPN’s Top 100 NBA players list is loaded with former Wildcats

There are 12 former Kentucky basketball players in ESPN’s top 100 NBA players list.

Kentucky basketball has placed a lot of players in the NBA in recent years. Many of those players went on to become star players, some Olympians, and some NBA All-Stars and NBA Champions.

Recently, ESPN released their rankings of the top 100 players going into the 2024-25 season. It’s not surprising, at least to Kentucky fans, that a good number of them are former Wildcats. In fact, 12 of the top 100 played at Kentucky in college.

Related: Kentucky basketball is number 23 in AP Poll

Their highest-rated former Wildcat is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander at number four overall. He’s up from number eight in 2023.

Anthony Davis is number 13, while Devin Booker came in just behind him at 15. Bam Adebayo and 18 and Tyrese Maxey at 19 round out the Cats in the top 20.

De’Aaron Fox and Karl-Anthony Towns are both in the top 30, at 26 and 30 respectively. Guard Jamal Murray is number 31, while Julius Randle comes in just inside the top 50 at number 48.

The final three on the list are Immanuel Quickly at number 64, Malik Monk at 65, and Tyler Herro at 76.

Big Blue Nation is proud of all their former players, including the ones who made the list. Next year, maybe there will be even more.

Kawhi Leonardā€™s latest knee issue means the Thunder could unthinkably land Cooper Flagg

Imagine if Cooper Flagg played for Oklahoma City.

L.A. Clippers star Kawhi Leonard will reportedly miss an indefinite amount of time to start the upcoming season at the Intuit Dome.

This is not exactly a surprise for those who have followed the NBA news cycle recently. Leonard missed the 2024 Olympics in Paris due to injury, which raised eyebrows around the league. His recent comments about his teammates after losing Paul George to the 76ers did not paint a picture of perfect chemistry.

With both George and Russell Westbrook no longer on the roster and no splashy replacements, the Clippers may not be very good this year. Bad seasons happen, of course, but there is another reason why that is especially notable.

From previous trades, the Thunder are owed whichever pick is a better one between the Rockets and the Clippers. It has only become more probable that Houston outperforms L.A. this season.

If the Clippers miss the postseason in a competitive Western Conference and their pick is in the lottery, the ping pong balls could bounce in any number of ways.

CLIPPERS: L.A. lost Paul George for nothing after trading so much (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander!) to originally acquire him

The worst case scenario for the Clippers is that the pick lands at No. 1 overall and they would have traded the rights away to Oklahoma City.

This comes after the organization already traded Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and various other tremendously valuable draft capital to the Thunder to land George, who is no longer on the roster.

If that total also now includes the next No. 1 pick, which is likely going to become Cooper Flagg in the 2025 NBA Draft, it would be unprecedentedly unfortunate for this franchise.

That would add a wildly impactful player to a Thunder team that is already projected to win the Western Conference this season, and is only young and getting better.

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ESPN: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander receives 3rd-most votes for 2024-25 MVP prediction

ESPN: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander receives 3rd-most votes for 2024-25 MVP prediction.

It’s the middle of August, which means the NBA calendar has entered its slowest portion of the year. Most of the offseason work is done and teams now await the start of the 2024-25 season.

To kill time, ESPN has published its annual “Summer Forecast” series. The exercise allows its media experts to give their opinions on some of the major storylines for next year.

Among the questions, a first-place vote receives five points, a second-place vote gets three points and a third-place vote gets one.

The Oklahoma City Thunder have been featured in several questions. But one of the more important storylines revolves around who wins MVP this upcoming season.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has had two straight top-five MVP finishes. He was runner-up last year. It feels like it’s due time for the 26-year-old to capture the prestigious award.

Among the ESPN voters, Gilgeous-Alexander is ranked third among players most likely to win MVP with 37 points. He is behind Luka Doncic and Nikola Jokic.

This is a little surprising to see. Gilgeous-Alexander would serve as a fresh face to win the award and has a strong case if the Thunder repeat as the top seed. He’s been one of the most efficient scorers in the league and that should continue.

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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander NBA 2K25 overall rating revealed

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander NBA 2K25 overall rating revealed.

It’s August, which means less than a month remains until NBA 2K releases its latest edition of the annual video game. As NBA 2K25 gets closer, overall ratings leak out for publicity.

The Oklahoma City Thunder rosters one of the best-rated players in this year’s game. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has ascended into one of the best players in the league with back-to-back top-five MVP finishes.

To start this year’s game, Gilgeous-Alexander has a 97 overall rating. This is a personal best and a four-point jump. The 26-year-old is tied for the third-best rating with Luka Doncic and Giannis Antekounmpo.

Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid rank ahead in the best two spots, each with a 98 overall rating. Those five players make up the top fiveĀ in NBA 2K25 in its first rounds of ratings.

This is a respectable debut number for Gilgeous-Alexander. He can climb even higher if he puts up another monster 30-point campaign on a title contender this upcoming season as many expect him to. NBA 2K25 releases on Sept. 6.

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OKC Thunder will face tough start to 2024-25 regular season

OKC Thunder will face tough start to 2024-25 regular season.

Right out of the gates, the Oklahoma City Thunder won’t have much room for error to start the 2024-24 regular season.

The Thunder unveiled their 82-game slate recently as the calendar creeps closer to starting training camp in less than two months. OKC hopes to repeat its success from last season as the first seed.

To achieve that goal, they will need to get off to a hot start and fight through any possible adjustment periods needed for Isaiah Hartenstein and Alex Caruso — who will be two of the top-six rotation players.

The Thunder have the fifth-hardest strength of schedule in October and November among last year’s playoff squads. OKC’s early opponents had a combined .512 win percentage last season.

A slow start might dampen the Thunder’s ambitions of the first seed. Hovering around .500 could put them behind the marathon as 57 wins was barely enough to get the first seed last season.

Overall, it’s a daunting schedule for the Thunder, who are also tied for the most back-to-backs at 16 this year, an increase from last season’s 14 total.

Regardless of seeding, what’s more important is how strong the Thunder look at the end of the season and the health of their top pieces. Those two variables are more important than chasing a few spots in the standings.

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OKC Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves to face off 3 times in 4-game stretch

OKC Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves to face off 3 times in 4-game stretch.

The Oklahoma City Thunder revealed their 2024-25 regular season schedule. This means that it’s time to examine how the slate is laid out during the 82-game grind.

After a first-seed finish last season, the Thunder hope to repeat that accomplishment this upcoming campaign. They enter the year as title favorites after a productive offseason.

One important stretch during the Thunder’s season will happen in February 2025. They will play the Minnesota Timberwolves three out of four games from Feb. 13-24.

All three contests will be on national television. The Thunder travel to Minnesota to face the Timberwolves via TNT on Feb. 13. It is OKC’s final contest before the 2025 All-Star break.

After the break, the Thunder will travel to face the Utah Jazz on Feb. 21. It’s a nice one-game break before they battle the Timberwolves in a road-and-home back-to-back from Feb. 23-24.

The first contest will be on ESPN with an 8:30 p.m. CT tip. A back-to-back that features travel is already grueling as is. Toss in the layer that includes the late tip on the first night and standard tip on the second night — 7 p.m. CT — then it complicates important games.

The Thunder and Timberwolves were two of the best teams in the Western Conference last year. Their seeding wasn’t finalized until the last day of the regular season. Expect a similar finish this upcoming season between the squads.

Tiebreakers could prove vital once more. That’s why this three-in-four-games stretch will be crucial for seeding aspirations for both the Thunder and Timberwolves.

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Unique 2024-25 back-to-back against Nuggets could determine seeding for OKC Thunder

Unique 2024-25 back-to-back against Nuggets could determine seeding for OKC Thunder.

If the Oklahoma City Thunder hope to repeat as the top seed, they will likely need to win tiebreakers if they are required. After all, that’s how the Thunder ultimately won the first seed on the last day of the regular season last year.

With that in mind, a critical back-to-back late in the 2024-25 season could prove vital for OKC’s ambitions of a first seed. The Thunder have 16 back-to-backs this season — tied for the most among playoff squads.

A unique set involves a home back-to-back against the Denver Nuggets. OKC will host them on Mar. 9-10. It’s its only back-to-back where it plays the same team twice in a row.

Considering how late this is into the season, there’s a strong chance that both fanbases will circle these contests on their calendar. As they get closer to the end of the season, standings will matter more.

To add to the uniqueness, the first contest will be held at 12 p.m. CT on ABC. The second will be a standard 7 p.m. CT tip. This means that both squads will get a semi-off day between games. This could benefit either or both sides depending on where the teams stand on the injury front.

Expect the Thunder and Nuggets to be two of the top teams in the Western Conference again this season. They roster MVP candidates in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic.

A potential playoff series could be decided by homecourt — especially considering Denver’s altitude advantage. This back-to-back could be under a microscope and have massive consequences at the end of the year.

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OKC Thunder tied for most back-to-backs in 2024-25 season among last year’s playoff squads

OKC Thunder tied for most back-to-backs in 2024-25 season among last year’s playoff squads.

After a first-seed finish last season, the odds are stacked against the Oklahoma City Thunder to repeat that achievement for the 2024-25 regular season.

Examining the 82-game schedule, a large sum of back-to-backs pop out. The Thunder are tied for most back-to-back among playoff teams from last season with 16. An uptick from 14 last year.

The LA Clippers, Denver Nuggets, Milwaukee Bucks, Phoenix Suns, Cleveland Cavaliers and New Orleans Pelicans also have 16 back-to-backs.

This is a killer revelation for the Thunder. Even with their youthful legs, there could be surprising losses caused solely by this scheduling snafu.

The league has tried to decrease the amount of back-to-back in recent years. It’s taken a step back in that goal for the sake of the NBA Cup, which will give most teams a semi-off week in December.

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NBA continues to fail to properly parade OKC Thunder on national stage

NBA continues to fail to properly parade OKC Thunder on national stage.

After examining the NBA’s league-wide schedule for the 2024-24 regular season, one point was further proven — the Oklahoma City Thunder did not get the same treatment as their peers.

Despite being the first seed and advancing to the final eight last year, the Thunder ranked 11th in the league in national television broadcast, excluding NBA TV appearances.

11th? Seriously? For last year’s first seed and second-best overall record manned by the MVP runner-up? To add insult to injury, only three of the Thunder’s 15 national contests will be at OKC.

While the league partially amended its error to leave OKC out for Christmas and Opening Night, it did the bare minimum for the Thunder. A scheduling mishap that can cost them down the road.

The Thunder should be paraded with fellow title contenders next season. After all, they will be a member of that exclusive club for the foreseeable future.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has broken out as one of the best players in the league. Expect the 26-year-old to put up nonchalant 30-plus point performances. Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams will only improve and should flirt with All-Star status next season.

Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault is one of the best young minds in the league. GM Sam Presti has built a deep roster filled with young talent and endless potential.

Even considering the small-market tax, the Thunder should’ve been paraded more often this season. A notable bump from last year’s total — the second-best improvement in the league — is only putting perfume on a self-imposed mess.

Among the 10 squads ahead of the Thunder, some are more understandable than others. The Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics and New York Knicks will always be the league’s darlings due to their sheer market size and rich history.

The Denver Nuggets, Dallas Mavericks and — to a certain extent — Golden State Warriors are also reasonable. All three franchises roster a single player with cult-like followings with Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic and Stephen Curry. They alone are a billion-dollar enterprise.

But the Milwaukee Bucks? Who are fresh off their worst season in recent history and could see the departure of Giannis Antetokounmpo soon? They’re on the downslope.

Or what about the Minnesota Timberwolves? Who are in a similar tier as the Thunder but get more national TV games and featured on the two biggest nights of the regular season?

Gilgeous-Alexander is a better player than Anthony Edwards right now. That should mean the former should enjoy the national spotlight more than the latter next season until proven otherwise.

And finally, what about the Philadelphia 76ers and Phoenix Suns? Both were worse than OKC last season and it’s easy to project that the gap grows as time passes.

The NBA has shown its true feelings about the Thunder and it only confirms the chip OKC fans carry on their shoulders when it comes to the lack of national respect they get.

Being late to the party is one thing. Nobody should be upset that the league failed to schedule the Thunder for several national television games last season. Their ascension took everybody by surprise.

But the NBA has had all offseason — and really, nearly a year — to catch up to conventional wisdom about the Thunder. Instead of showing up late with an apologetic pizza to the house party, they flat-out ghosted OKC’s ascension.

It didn’t happen this year, but sooner or later, the league must grit its teeth and treat the Thunder like one of the best teams. Even if it means abandoning their old method of marketing individual players over anything else.

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