OKC Thunder Rookie Offers High Praise of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

This year has been nothing short of historic for Oklahoma City Thunder superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. He led the league in scoring en route to the NBA MVP honors after a 68-win season for Oklahoma City. Then, he rattles off MVPs in the Western Conference Finals and NBA Finals to hoist his first Larry O'Brien trophy. Now, he inks the largest annual contract in NBA history and graces the cover of NBA 2K while rocking his first-ever signature shoes that also released this season.

Rookie guard Nikola Topic got a front row seat to the entire thing. The No. 12 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft spent the season sidelined while rehabbing an ACL injury and discussed what it was like to watch Gilgeous-Alexander in year one.

"He had a great season. He is an amazing player. Just to be able to watch him on the sideline, the bench, being able to work with him and see him workout every day is just really amazing. It's not accidental that he is that good," Topic said of Gilgeous-Alexander following the Thunder's Summer League outing in Vegas.

The Oklahoma City Thunder have seen Topic partake in four Summer League games after being out for 14 months rehabbing a torn ACL suffered just before the 2024 NBA Draft. The redshirt rookie will be under a microscope in his first year on the hardwood.

Topic could provide much needed playmaking help for Oklahoma City as a bench piece for the Thunder. His long term development is much more appealing than his short term impact as a player who was thought high of as a prospect.