OKC Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander lauds passing skill of Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard

Gilgeous-Alexander and Nembhard are teammates with Canada

Mar 31, 2023; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) dribbles the ball while Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard (2) defends in the first quarter at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports / Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

NBA superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander thinks that Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard's passing ability is elite.

Gilgeous-Alexander, an MVP-level talent for the Oklahoma City Thunder, was asked to build his perfect player in a FIBA interview. He is currently playing in the Olympics for Team Canada, who reached the knockout stage this week.

When Gilgeous-Alexander was asked to name what player's passing he would use in his hypothetical perfect player, he said Nembhard's name. The two players are currently teammates with Canada in the Olympics, and they were the leading scorers when the team beat Spain on Friday.

"Andrew Nembhard," SGA said after some hesitation.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander builds his perfect player:

🪣 Scoring - Kobe Bryant
👀 Passing - Andrew Nembhard
🔒 Defense - Lu Dort
🧠 Game IQ - Chris Paul
🔥 Athleticism - LeBron James

Thoughts on SGA’s picks? 🤔

(via @FIBA/ IG) pic.twitter.com/ezDoAofSkl

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) July 23, 2024

Gilgeous-Alexander chose Kobe Bryant's scoring ability, Lu Dort's defense, Chris Paul's game IG, and LeBron James' athleticism. Dort is also with Team Canada for the Olympics.

Nembhard averaged 4.1 assists per game last season, though he plays alongside Tyrese Haliburton with the Pacers, and Haliburton often handles the ball and distributes. When sharing the floor with Haliburton, Nembhard dished out 5.7 assists per 100 possessions — that number climbed to 11.7 when he played without the All-NBA guard.

Clearly, Nembhard can pass better than his assist numbers suggest. He is talented in many areas of the game, which is why Indiana gave him a contract extension last week. He's tied to Indiana for the next four seasons.

In the Olympics, Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 19.0 points and 4.0 assists per game. Nembhard, meanwhile, is averaging 8.3 points and 1.3 assists per game. They've both been vital to Canada's success

Canada plays France in the quarter finals on Tuesday.

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