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May 18, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) passes as Denver Nuggets guard Julian Strawther (3) defends in the second half of game seven of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's Playmaking Leap Highlighted by NBA

Originally posted on Oklahoma City Thunder on SI
By Rylan Stiles | Last updated Aug 22, 2025 4:35 PM ET

It has been fascinating to watch Oklahoma City Thunder superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander progress throughout his career. After each of his six seasons in Bricktown, it has only been natural for people to put a cap on him. Was the best he could do a fringe All-Star? The next year, he made the All-Star squad. Okay, certainly that is just the level of player he is, right? The next season, he is an All-Star starter and All-NBA player with a top-five finish in MVP voting. Great! What a get for Oklahoma City. Oh wait, now he is runner-up in MVP before following that up with bagging the MVP honor, Western Conference F inals MVP, and NBA Finals MVP with an NBA scoring championship.

His entire game has reached new heights each season, he builds on the foundation set the year prior. During his MVP season en route to a championship? His improved playmaking popped off the page. Gilgeous-Alexander produced a career-high in assists over the course of the season while leading the entire NBA in scoring.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Assists Per game

2018-19: 3.3 assists/game
2019-20: 3.3 assists/game
2020-21: 5.9 assists/game
2021-22: 5.9 assists/game
2022-23: 5.5 assists/game
2023-24: 6.2 assists/game
2024-25: 6.4 assists/game

Oklahoma City's offseason got a shot of life not only by Gilgeous-Alexander's elite level scoring in the mid-range and getting to the rim but along with his ability to dish the rock. Throughout the course of the 2024-25 campaign, the Thunder superstar continued to get more adventurous with h is passes to create scoring opportunities for Oklahoma City's offseason.

The NBA is using the slow month of August to spend a week highlighting skils from players to build anticipation for the league's return. This week represents NBA assist week where Gilgeous-Alexander was featured with one of his more creative passes of his career.

The best assist of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s career. Truly wild play. The building was on fire for this one. pic.twitter.com/sAW8AtWWrR
— Rylan Stiles (@Rylan_Stiles) August 21, 2025

Gilgeous-Alexander was dancing with strong point-of-attack defender Scotty Pippen Jr. before getting to the mid-paint and tossing the ball over his shoulder for a no look dime to Lu Dort who used a pass fake to open up a triple that was banged home in the Thunder's route of the Grizzlies during the first round of the NBA Playoffs.

The entire building was too busy gasping to give Dort his typically timely "Lu" chant. A pass that adventurous has rarely been seen to that point by Gilgeous-Alexander, catching everyone off guard with the sizzle and flare on the dime for a typical one-read and safe playmaker.

As the superstar continued the playoffs, his playmaking got more advanced including a highlight play in the Western Conference Finals pivoting around and tossing a bounce pass between the legs of his defend to manufacture points out of thin air for Oklahoma City.

With Gilgeous-Alexander continuing to refine his playmaking, somehow, you have to expect another step from one of –– if not the –– best player(s) in the sport.

This article first appeared on Oklahoma City Thunder on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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