Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Leads Oklahoma City Thunder Against Toronto Raptors

Hamilton’s very own Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will be leading his top-ranked Oklahoma City Thunder into Toronto to face the Raptors on Thursday night. The Thunder, who have won seven of their past 10 games, currently sit atop the NBA’s Western Conference standings. With the third-best record in the league, they trail only the Eastern Conference powerhouses, the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics.

On the other hand, the Raptors find themselves in 12th place in the East, but they have shown signs of improvement recently by winning three of their last four games. RJ Barrett, a native of Mississauga, Ontario, was Gilgeous-Alexander’s teammate on Canada’s men’s Olympic basketball team and has been a key contributor to the Raptors during their recent hot streak.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had a standout year last season, winning the Northern Star Award for Canadian athlete of the year. He finished second in NBA MVP voting and led the Canadian men’s team to a World Cup bronze medal, securing their first Olympic berth in a generation. Gilgeous-Alexander was also the third-highest scorer in the NBA while leading the Thunder to the best record in the Western Conference and the second-leading scorer in the Olympic men’s tournament.

Tim Francis, who coached Gilgeous-Alexander at Hamilton’s Sir Allan MacNab Secondary School in 2012 and 2013, expressed his pride in seeing a player from Hamilton reach such heights in the basketball world. He noted that Gilgeous-Alexander’s success serves as a testament to the value of hard work and dedication.

As the Thunder and Raptors face off in Toronto, basketball fans can expect an exciting matchup between two talented teams led by rising Canadian stars. The game is sure to showcase the skills and determination that have propelled Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to the forefront of the basketball world.