Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Cooling Off On 3-Point Attempts

Oklahoma City’s superstar is getting back to his traditional shot diet.

Nov 8, 2024; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USAOklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) smiles before taking a free throw shot during the second quarter against the Houston Rockets at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images / Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Over the first few weeks of the NBA season, it’s been clear that a few Thunder players have been toying with shot selection and experimenting on the floor. There’s no better time to explore than at the beginning of the season.

For the Thunder, not only the players are experimenting, but the coaching staff too. This is where Mark Daigneault will get his data points for the rest of the season and beyond. He will always try every single lineup to figure out what works best for the team. One clear point of emphasis for the Thunder’s exploration stage at the beginning of the year has been encouraging its stars to shoot more 3-point shots.

That started with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who has never been a high volume outside shooter. He has always made his money in the mid-range and at the rim, but for years, people have been talking about his developing 3-point shot. He’s not a bad shooter by any means, it’s just not his go-to shot.

He attempted 39 3-pointers over the first five games of the season, which was extremely unusual. His percentages suffered too, as many of them were tough, contested pull-ups. Of those five games, Gilgeous-Alexander only shot above 50% one time.

Over the last four games, Gilgeous-Alexander has reverted back to his traditional shot diet — and it’s probably for the better. He has only attempted 12 3-pointers, and the ones he’s taking look much more natural. In turn, all four games have been extremely efficient and 50% shooting or better.

In all truth, there’s probably a happy medium for Gilgeous-Alexander’s shot diet. It looked somewhat forced over the first five games of the season, but increasing his outside attempts isn’t a bad idea altogether. That’s what the first few weeks of the season is for, though. He still has plenty of time to find the perfect groove.

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