Thunder GM Details Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's Impact on Winning

Oklahoma City Thunder general manager Sam Presti detailed how Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is able to impact wins.

May 18, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) warms up before game six against the Dallas Mavericks in the second round of the 2024 NBA playoffs at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images / Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Alas, the NBA's return is near. The Oklahoma City Thunder media day is less than a week away. With team festivities soon to return, Thunder general manager Sam Presti hit the podium for his annual pre-season press conference.

Speaking ahead of a season is going to bring multiple talking points, as usual, but one of those was superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexanders and his impact on winning. For the reigning MVP finalist, his two-way play to back up his elite offensive arsenal makes him the ultimate top option for the club.

"You have to become a two-way player. You can't just have the ball and cook — that's not a formula to win," Presti explained.

This is true for any player on any club in the league. Isolation basketball does not equal wins, nor does any one-dimensional player. Gilgeous-Alexander is far from a one-dimensional player, too. There's a reason he finished No. 5 in MVP voting two seasons ago -- despite the club only winning 40 games -- and why he was the runner-up last season.

Having Gilgeous-Alexander as the top option makes the most sense, too. He embodies exactly what the Thunder look for in a player, so the MVP player isn't only leading the team on the court but setting an example for the rest of the squad.

After last season, it was proven that the Kentucky product is the ideal No. 1 option for Oklahoma City as it continues to move forward as a contender. There's a reason the club pours their trust into Gilgeous-Alexander, a player who is going to prioritize the team on both sides of the ball.

As the Thunder rolls into their first season since arriving as a contender, Gilgeous-Alexander is certainly going to receive MVP buzz this season, and deservedly so.

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