9x NBA All-Star Makes Wild Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Michael Jordan Comparison

Gilgeous-Alexander is just getting started at 26 years old, but it's hard to look past the season he had with the amount of accolades he's taking home. One former All-Star believes his 2024-25 campaign is up there with Michael Jordan's 1997-98 season with the Chicago Bulls.

Paul George, a nine-time All-Star, agreed with his co-host Dallas Rutherford on Podcast P with Paul George in that Gilgeous-Alexander had the best individual season by a guard since Jordan's in 1998. That season, the Chicago icon took home the league MVP, scoring title, and Finals MVP, averaging 28.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 3.5 assists.

"Arguably, the best season from a guard since Michael Jordan in 1998," Rutherford said.

"It's 1A, 1B," George said. "I think you can put him in, from a season standpoint, that conversation. That's a hell of a year, especially in the league today.

"Especially as a smaller guard. The analytics, they despise the way [Gilgeous-Alexander] plays more now than they did in any other year because you want threes and layups. Well, he gets to the free-throw line, which is great, but he doesn't shoot threes."

Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 32.7 points, five rebounds, and 6.4 assists this season. A big difference between his and Jordan's seasons is that Gilgeous-Alexander took home his first championship, while Jordan's 1998 ring was the last of his career and his sixth with the Bulls.