Settled somewhere, likely among the current NBA’s Mount Rushmore of two-way superstars, Shai Gilgeous Alexander’s matchup-proof playstyle, on November 15, 2024, prompted something quite special: a “Welcome to the NBA”-type moment, and a “goodbye,” simultaneously. Captured already for a pair of awe-worthy dribbling displays within the game’s first half-quarter, the 2023-24 Most Valuable Player runner-up — like shark smelling blood — prepares for a third with rookie talent Oso Ighodaro courageously squaring his defensive stance in isolation. Stamping his three-lettered initials into the game through a signature play, Gilgeous-Alexander, nearly eliminating the Phoenix Suns rookie from the camera’s scope, works a brake-pumping between-the-leg dribble before burying a trademark midrange pull-up. Even during a game that doubled as one of 2024-25’s slowest (95.1 possessions per 100) and one of its most inefficient (a combined 34.9 percent on 166 shots), Gilgeous-Alexander, true to his word, remained ever-consistent. In guiding the Oklahoma City Thunder to an NBA Cup-opening victory, Gilgeous-Alexander, as the team’s de facto 6-foot-6 “center,” elevated through 28 points, six rebounds, four assists, one block, and a game-high +21 plus-minus. · Nov 16, 2024