Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Discusses Lost Art of Mid-Range Scoring

The Oklahoma City Thunder have seen Superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander revitalize the NBA Mid-Range Game as a scorer. At All-Star weekend, Gilgeous-Alexander dished on where that stems from.

Feb 13, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) prepares to play the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images / Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images

In an era where you can not have a conversation involving basketball that doesn't feature someone longing for a bygone era where the league "didn't just chuck 3's!" Oklahoma City Thunder superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is playing a throwback game with a modern flair.

The Thunder star is taking 46% of his shots in the forgotten mid-range, 30% at the rim and 24% from beyond the arc, according to Cleaning the Glass. On those shots, Gilgeous-Alexanader is converting at a jaw-dropping 50% cliip from the mid-range, 72% at the rim and 36% from beyond the arc.

Gilgeous-Alexander is leading the league in scoring with 32.5 points per game coupling with 5.1 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 2.9 stocks per game with shooting splits of 52/36/89.

"My favorite players growing up were Kobe Bryant and Allen Iverson. They shot a lot of mid-range. For me it was just part of the game. It was a skill set, a weapon, and I try to implement it in my game and I've done so," Gilgeous-Alexander said at All-Star weekend of his Mid-Range game.

The Oklahoma City Thunder superstar will only see his Q-rating skyrocket as the season progresses. Not only are the 44-10 Thunder poised for a deep playoff run, but his poetry-in-motion style of play will captivate a National audience he will soon be placed in front of.

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