2019 Shai Gilgeous-Alexander trade reaction to joining Thunder after Paul George sent to Clippers
excited are you to Okay. How excited are you to play with Chris Paul? Um I’m really excited. Um done obviously a lot of good things with this game. Um and he’s got to a point in his life that I I’d like to get to myself. So I got a lot of things to learn from him. Um and I I’ll do so. Chase, um Chris said that when he when you got traded to the Thunder, he sent you some words of encouragement via text and then kind of smiled and said, “And then we just became teammates a few days later.” So, what what was that time like and what did Chris mean to you in those moments when your NBA career was kind of in flux at the moment? Um, yeah, it was big. Um, a guy like Chris, um, guy you grow up watching. Um, giving you words of advice and and kind of builds your confidence a little bit. Um, yeah, like I said, he’s been through so much in his 14, 15 years in the NBA. Um, I could only learn so much. What’s it like being back with Hamadoo on the same team with him? Um, yeah, it’ll be really fun. Um, playing with Hammy in college was was exciting. Obviously, he’s a really good athlete. Um, and a guy easy he’s easy to play with. Um, and we’ll have a little connection. Um, I’ll know his tendencies, he’ll know mine, so it’ll be fun out there. Shay, what kind of to your right, sorry. uh what kind of advantages or um assets you guys have defensively heading into this season? What type of team do you guys think you can be on that end of the floor? Um yeah, I think we could be really good defensively. Uh got a lot of guys with length um and a athleticism. Um and obviously those two things help a lot. Um and then the rest just comes down to willing willingness to. Um I think we got guys that are willing to compete and and and really play hard at the end of the floor. So I think we’ll be good. Shay Almond, I know y’all haven’t started camping, got into a lot of practices yet, but just from the little time that you’ve had with Billy and some of the players, what are some of the differences you’re seeing from how you were utilized with the Clippers as a rookie and how you think your role is going to be this season uh in your second season? Yeah. Um, we haven’t really done too much structure-wise. Um, so I can’t really answer that question. Um, but as far as playing with my teammates, I feel comfortable out there. Um, getting to those guys better and better every day and it’s been fun. Yeah, Shay, you with the Clippers last year, you on a team that nobody thought a lot of going into the season, then they trade Tobias Harris at mid year and everybody thinks it’s tank mode. You don’t tank. You have a successful year. Scare the Warriors in the playoffs. Any similarities to what you’ve seen here, losing Westbrook, losing George, people not don’t have the thunder very high. Is it is it the same kind of script that you might can follow with with surprising the league? Um, yeah, I guess you can say so. Um, but personally, I try not to worry about everything the the league says or the media says in terms of things like tanking and stuff like that and expectations for us. Um, I think if we just focus on ourselves, uh, try to get better every day and play the best of our ability and as hard as we can, then it’ll take us where it takes us, whether that be the playoffs, not the playoffs, the finals run, you never know. All right, Shay, uh, you’re from Toronto, just got done playing in LA. How big of a culture shock is it to be in Oklahoma City? And what are some things you’ve enjoyed so far? Um, it’s actually not that much of a difference um from Lexington where I obviously went to school. Um, and it reminds me a lot like that um being the fans are really behind their team and stuff like that. Um, so yeah, I’ve kind of been a little bit used to it and it’ll be fun. Shay, Billy mentioned that there might be a time where you, Dennis, and Chris are all on the floor at the same time and Dennis talked about how that that’s obviously exciting. Um, but just from your perspective, um, as a rookie, your experience in the NBA, what are the challenges of having three primary ball handlers on the floor? Even though your game is incredibly versatile, Dennis can be versatile as well. What are the challenges that go into having three guys that can handle the ball on the floor at the same time? Um, it’s uh, as I’ve as I’ve grown as a player, it doesn’t become more of a challenge. It becomes more of like a a weapon almost. um guys you can take take breaks off the ball and things like that and not have a deficit uh team- wise. Um but yeah, play with guys that are that are versatile and willing to to come off the ball and play as well on the ball is is really fun and it almost makes the game easier. Hey Shay, um so last season you were a rookie role player on a veteran laden team and this season you’re probably more expected to take more of a leadership role as the season progresses. Can you can you tell me maybe where your mindset is um heading into the season maybe with that role in your mind? Um personally just uh attack every day the same. Um just try to be the best me that I can be. Um whether that be practice, games, whatever it is. Um and then still continue to be who I am. Um whether that role changes or not. Um and not worry about that and then everything else will take care of itself. U obviously uh you’re new to the area. Most people don’t know who you are, but can you just talk about what got you into basketball? What I guess was the passion that made you decide to take this path? Um yeah, the ball was put in my hands at a really young age um for my dad uh and then from there I just fell in love with it, I guess, and ran with it. Uh but yeah, the game’s been good to me. Were there any other sports that you were into or is it always basketball? Um for the most part, basketball. I played soccer at a really young age, but it’s it’s been mostly basketball. From following you on social media, it’s pretty clear you have a fashion sense. Where does that come from and when did you start uh getting into it, I guess? Um, I honestly just I like shopping um my whole life really, whether it be going to the mall and getting toys or whatever it is. Um depending on the age obviously um and then I guess the stage I’m at, it’s a lot more accessible. So, I just ran with it. Uh there’s a lot of uncertainty uh with the future of this team, but there’s kind of a feel that you’re the foundational piece this team will build around. Do you um do you take pride in that? Do you do you like do you believe in the future of this team and just the organization and you know with Russ and PG now out out the door? Um yeah, I feel like this organization is in a a good spot to get better. um obviously having a lot of picks um through the the work in the summer. Um and then having guys on the team um that are talented and and I think have something to prove. Um so that’s always a good thing. Um and I think this organization, they’ve obviously done it in the past with guys like Russell, uh Kevin and and James. Um so I think they know what it takes and they know how to do it. Um and it’s only a matter of time. Um, back on the soccer thing, is was that something that you still are into? Do you still follow it or did that fall by the wayside as you got older? Um, like I I play soccer, video games and stuff like that, but I don’t really keep up with [Music]
Back in 2019, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder as part of a blockbuster trade that sent Paul George to the Los Angeles Clippers.
The much younger SGA provided reaction to the move that put him in a Thunder jersey during a press conference, even going so far to talk about his plan to continue to work hard, years before his team made it to the NBA Finals.
“Expectations for us, I think if we just focus on ourselves, try to get better every day and play the best way,” he said. “I believe as hard as we can, it will take us where it takes us. Whether that be the playoffs, not the playoffs, or a Finals run, you never know.”
