"Shai's going to be so good, man."
When the basketball world converged in Chicago for NBA All-Star Weekend in 2020, Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, a participant in the Rising Stars Challenge, was a trending topic of discussion. The above quote comes from Chris Paul, who, when peppered with questions about his then teammate at All-Star media day, beamed as he spoke on the flashes of stardom Gilgeous-Alexander showed during the first half of his breakout sophomore campaign.
And while Paul is known for his clairvoyance on the court, I'm not sure anyone projected Gilgeous-Alexander's rise to go quite like this.
Less than three years after enjoying that brief moment in the All-Star Weekend spotlight, Gilgeous-Alexander has been voted in by coaches as a reserve in the 2023 NBA All-Star Game, cementing his arrival as a bonafide star in the league.
He's earned it.
Ahead of the season, Gilgeous-Alexander let it be known that after missing the playoffs two years in a row, losing wouldn't be a part of OKC's future for much longer. To back up his words, Gilgeous-Alexander has averaged a career-high 30.9 points on 51.0 percent shooting while emerging as one of the NBA's most clutch players, unafraid of any moment.
SGA. Called. Game! 😤 pic.twitter.com/zKbQ7WAm5w
— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) January 23, 2023
The above shot was Gilgeous-Alexander's third game-winner of the year, which delivered the Thunder their 23rd win of the season in 47 games. The win total is significant in that OKC ultimately surpassed its preseason win projection (23.5) well before the All-Star break.
Backing your words up with your play is star stuff.
As for Gilgeous-Alexander's scoring, only two players in a Thunder uniform have ever put up more on a nightly basis. You may have heard of them — Kevin Durant averaged 32.0 points per game in 2013-14 and Russell Westbrook averaged 31.6 points per game in 2016-17. By the way, those seasons ended with Durant and Westbrook hoisting MVP hardware.
Placing yourself in the company of MVPs at the age of 24? Well, that's All-Star stuff. Borderline superstar stuff, even.
Gilgeous-Alexander's journey from being the 11th overall pick in 2018 to a Rising Star and now NBA All-Star is a reminder of how far he's come and how much further he can go. And at 24, he's conceivably years away from his prime.
The historical context of Gilgeous-Alexander's selection can't get lost in this, either. The Hamilton, Ontario native joins Steve Nash, Jamaal Magloire and Andrew Wiggins to become the fourth Canadian to earn a selection to an All-Star Game.
Gilgeous-Alexander's first selection coming at this juncture of his career makes him the youngest Canadian All-Star, setting him apart from those that preceded him.
How Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's All-Star selection differs from Steve Nash, others
| Name | All-Star debut | Age | Season |
| Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | 2023 | 24 | 5th |
| Andrew Wiggins | 2022 | 26 | 8th |
| Jamaal Magloire | 2004 | 25 | 4th |
| Steve Nash | 2002 | 28 | 6th |
Nash, a well-known late bloomer, made his leap toward superstardom after a change of scenery and a few years of development in Dallas. For Wiggins, it was a change of scenery and the championship culture in Golden State that allowed him to realize his All-Star potential in his eighth season.
And while Magloire's All-Star selection was a one-off, he was a polished four-year veteran that got in with solid averages of 13.6 points and 10.3 rebounds per game.
No one does it alone, but those that preceded Gilgeous-Alexander were joined by their teammates on the All-Star stage.
Nash did it next to Dirk Nowitzki. Magloire did it beside Baron Davis. Wiggins did it with two teammates in Stephen Curry and Draymond Green.
Gilgeous-Alexander makes his debut as OKC's lone All-Star and the franchise's first since Paul in 2020.
And while Gilgeous-Alexander experienced a change of scenery after his rookie season in Los Angeles, for all intents and purposes, the brunt of his development has come as Oklahoma City's franchise cornerstone. There's young talent following his lead, but SGA is the one leading the way.
Three years after CP3's prophetic statement, the conversation has shifted from how good Shai's going to be, to how great he can become.
