Four Thunder Players Who Could Be in Salt Lake City for All-Star Weekend
After a 22-23 start to the 2022-23 season, Oklahoma City's early season success has surprised many around the league. As a result, OKC fans can expect to see a few of their team's stars in Salt Lake City this February.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is virtually a lock for the 2023 All-Star Game, an accomplishment that would make him the team's first all-star since Chris Paul in 2020. The Thunder's star guard is averaging 30.5 points, 5.5 assists, 4.9 rebounds, 1.7 steals and 1.1 blocks per game.
Gilgeous-Alexander has brought in over 1.8 million fan votes so far, good enough for fourth among Western Conference guards. Only Steph Curry, Luka Doncic and Ja Morant sit ahead of SGA on the leaderboard.
Last season, the OKC faithful felt as though Gilgeous-Alexander had been snubbed from the All-Star Game after the 6-foot-6 ball handler averaged 24.5 points, 5.9 assists and five rebounds per game. When there was an injury prior to last year's contest, then-Spurs guard Dejounte Murray was selected to participate instead of Gilgeous-Alexander.
Josh Giddey, Oklahoma City's lone All-Star weekend participant from a season ago, will likely be back in the Rising Stars Challenge this year. The second-year guard is averaging 16 points, eight rebounds and almost six assists per game while shooting 48.3% from the field and 33.3% from beyond the arc.
In the Rising Stars Tournament, four NBA legends draft teams of seven players from a 28-player pool consisting of sophomores, rookies and G League Ignite members. Last season, Giddey was selected by Hall-of-Famer James Worthy, and played alongside MarJon Beauchamp, Cole Anthony, Jalen Green, Herbert Jones, Tyrese Maxey and Jalen Suggs.
It is also safe to assume that rookie wing Jalen Williams will be joining Giddey in the Rising Stars Tournament, as the Santa Clara product is averaging 11.7 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game while shooting over 50% from the field. Williams also has already been named a Rookie of the Month and is currently third on NBA.com's Rookie Ladder.
Finally, sharpshooter Isaiah Joe has a chance to be nominated for the 3-Point Contest, which pits some of the league's top shooters against each other to see who can knock down the most triples. In 2022-23, Joe is shooting 44.4% from behind the line, tied for the fifth-best percentage in the NBA. The Thunder wing has already expressed interest in participating in the event.
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