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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander remains one of the NBA's brightest stars today among the kind of performances young players in the league have been putting out lately. In the latest episode of the "7PM in Brooklyn with Carmelo Anthony & Kid Mero" podcast, the former Knicks forward compared the Thunder guard's playstyle to Allen Iverson's game when he was playing for the Denver Nuggets.
"The Answer" is best known for how he made a name for himself during his first 11 seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers. Meanwhile, his time with the Nuggets saw a different side to his game as he manipulated the game to his advantage.
Anthony saw the similarity the most with the kind of pace that Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has utilized to maximize his full potential on offensive possessions.
"Shai plays like the Denver A.I.," Anthony said (at the 17:41 mark). "He was averaging 27, 28, at that time, but the movements, getting into a spot, the pace that he was playing at was totally different than what he's playing at in Philly. The pace that Shai is playing with right now is very similar to that pace that A.I. was playing with in Denver."
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Compared to how the OKC Thunder star started his NBA career with the LA Clippers in 2018, his game has evolved tremendously, from his efficient shotmaking to his ability to utilize his pace to get to his spots. The way he reads defensive sets has also improved to the point that he has allowed himself to play at his own pace without feeling pressured or rushed.
During the 2023-24 regular season, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander put forth MVP-caliber production, averaging 30.1 points (53.5% shooting, including 35.3% from 3-point range), 6.2 assists and 5.5 rebounds per game.
Meanwhile, Allen Iverson put up 25.6 ppg (45.6% shooting, including 34.4% from beyond the arc), 7.1 apg and 3.0 rpg in the three seasons he played in Denver.
Similar to the comparison made by Carmelo Anthony, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander likened his fashion style to Allen Iverson
Speaking with Forbes' Cassell Ferere, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander spoke highly of Allen Iverson's fashion style, which he has drawn some inspiration from.
"Allen Iverson," Gilgeous-Alexander said. "His confidence in the clothes he wears — is definitely — something that resonated with me."
Back then, Iverson's fashion style was different from the usual suits that NBA players would show up in for games. The Philadelphia 76ers legend blended some of his style that properly represented his character that was not just based on his basketball persona.
Nowadays, many NBA players freely showcase their unique taste in fashion. Such is the case for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as he shares his fits on Instagram.
