Before becoming one of the league's elite guards, a 20-year-old Shai Gilgeous-Alexander entered the league with the same poise he later became known for when delivering Oklahoma City their first NBA Championship seven years later. Making his NBA debut against the Nuggets on October 17, 2018, the lanky Canadian guard wasted little time introducing himself. With his Clippers team trailing early in the opening quarter, SGA took the ball strong to the rim, absorbing contact before finishing a tough driving layup that cut the deficit to two. It was a small moment that hinted at something larger — the composure, the craft, the ability to create offense in tight spaces. The blueprint was already there in Game 1, as the future MVP finished with an efficient 11 points on 5-of-6 shooting, adding four assists and two rebounds in 28 minutes. From there, Gilgeous-Alexander's path to greatness would unfold methodically, as he refined his game in Los Angeles before finding his true home in Oklahoma City, where he'd ascend into one of the sport's most dominant players. · Oct 17, 2018