"It's on the rise": Gilgeous-Alexander raves about Canada at NBA All-Star Game
As one of the NBA’s most exciting players, it’s safe to say that Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Shai Gailgeous-Alexander is beloved by fans in his home country of Canada.
And given his recent comments at the NBA All-Star Game this past weekend, there’s no doubt that the feeling is mutual.
“It’s on the rise… we have a good crop of talent in Canada,” the 25-year-old, who led Canada to bronze medal at last summer’s FIBA World Cup, said when asked about the state of Canada Basketball.
“As we continue to get more exposure in Canada, keep working, we’ll keep going up.”
"It's on the rise… we have a good crop of talent in Canada." đ¨đŚ
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander speaks on the rise of Canada basketball and how grateful he is to be Canadian. pic.twitter.com/dQhSSFbQi4
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) February 19, 2024
And while the NBA star may have a slight bias towards the Great White North, it truly is a great for Canadian basketball, with the menâs national team qualifying for their first appearance at the Olympics since 2000 as theyâre set to compete in Paris this summer.
The start of the 2023-24 season also saw a record number of Canadians on the NBA’s roster with 26.
Gilgeous-Alexander, who is second in the league with 31.1 points per game while averaging 6.5 assists and 5.5 rebounds, also credited Canada with helping him pave a path to the NBA.
“My country means the world to me. It gave me an opportunity,” the Toronto native said. “Without it I wouldn’t be here.”
He considers himself lucky, reiterating that he doesn’t take anything for granted.
“I’m so fortunate to be from there. There’s kids all over the world that just don’t get opportunities because [of] where they’re born,” he said. “I don’t take that for granted.”
Representing the Western Conference, Gilgeous-Alexander capped his second All-Star appearance with 31 points, four rebounds, six assists and a steal.
With the help of fellow Canadian teammate Lugentz Dort, Gilgeous-Alexander has had a major hand in getting OKC back towards the top of the NBA standings, as the Thunder sit in second place in their conference with 37 wins and 17 losses.