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Nick Young reveals how Shai Gilgeous-Alexander took Luka Doncic comparisons personally in angry DMs

Originally posted on NBA Analysis Network
By Aaditya Krishnamurthy | Last updated Nov 17, 2025 7:00 AM ET

Nick Young spoke about the showdown between Luka Doncic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and what the reigning MVP’s mindset was heading into the game.

One of the most anticipated showdowns last week came when the Los Angeles Lakers faced off against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Coming into the game, the Lakers and the Thunder were two of the best sides in the NBA. The Thunder were led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who was putting up stellar numbers.

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On the other side, Luka Doncic was having an MVP season, which made their inevitable clash all the more exciting.

But in the end, it wasn’t close, as the Thunder humiliated the Lakers. And it turns out Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was motivated by people counting him out compared to Luka Doncic.

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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander DM’d Nick Young to watch what he does to Luka Doncic

Early in the season, Gilbert Arenas and his podcast co-hosts picked Luka Doncic over Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to have a more successful season.

When discussing the Lakers’ lopsided loss to the Thunder, former NBA star Nick Young revealed that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander saw these comments and messaged him to watch what he does against the Lakers.

“Shai DM’d and said, ‘Watch tonight. I’mma show y’all. Because he was watching when we were… comparing All-NBA teams, like, ‘f— Shai’… One year just to catch up. He said to watch tonight.

Nick Young: “Shai DM’d and told me, ‘Watch tonight. Imma show y’all.’ Because he was watching that day when you was saying Luka and comparing all their All-NBA teams… It was an ass whooping.”
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— Clemente Almanza (@CAlmanza1007) November 16, 2025

“It was an a– whooping. There’s no comparison over who is the best team and best player in the NBA right now. Who is playing with the most confidence, playing on another level? It’s OKC, man. It’s Shai.

“There’s nothing you can do that can stop that man. No double-teams. On an off night, they’re still gonna win… That’s what I want my Lakers to do.”

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The Thunder loss was a wake-up call for the Lakers, and since then, they have gone on to win their remaining two games on this road trip.

Doncic’s win over Giannis Antetokounmpo in an MVP battle only helped to reaffirm his status as one of the best in the league. But how does his start to the season compare to Shai’s?

Luka Dončić vs. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: Offensive Stats (2025-26)

Statistic (Per Game)	Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (OKC)	Luka Dončić (LAL)
Games Played (GP)	14	10
Points Per Game (PPG)	32.6	34.4
Rebounds Per Game (RPG)	5.1	8.9
Assists Per Game (APG)	6.6	8.9
Field Goal Percentage (FG%)	53.1%	46.8%
Three-Point Percentage (3P%)	37.3%	34.9%

Doncic is clearly very close to Shai in terms of statistics. The only advantage Shai has is that he has a better supporting cast he can rely on to help win games.

However, Doncic is bound to get a huge boost in his supporting cast, as LeBron James will return to the Lakers this week.

Despite their lopsided battle, don’t be surprised if Doncic rallies back to make a real MVP case for himself this season.

This article first appeared on NBA Analysis Network and was syndicated with permission.

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