While Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was not considered a big name in the draft, his play in March has shown that he can be more than just a complimentary player.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has not received the amount of national attention other lottery picks in his star-studded draft, justifiably, have. He, ultimately, will not be considered for Rookie of the Year. Most will point to his steady, but not overwhelming, averages of 10.3 points and 3.3 assists, his modest 18.3% Usage Rate, and compare them to the flashy totals of budding stars like Trae Young and Luka Doncic. He will be overlooked for his contribution to a team currently in the thick of the loaded Western Conference playoff race, starting all but 9 games on a team filled with veterans. While his national profile may be lower than it should, Shai has shown growth throughout the season and has turned in a month that hints at a future star turn most wouldn’t have projected.
Shai’s season started with a quick insertion into the starting line-up, a move necessitated by an early injury to Avery Bradley. He played well enough throughout the first two and a half months of the season to stay with the starters, posting averages of 10.3 points and 2.7 assists on a respectable 48.6% from the field and 38.9% from three. It was a promising beginning to a rookie campaign that did not have lofty expectations. The Clippers had a torrid November, winning 11 of their 14 games, and Shai saw almost 30 minutes per game. December, however, saw the Clippers lose 9 of their next 15, with Shai seeing his minutes drop to just over 25 minutes per game.
Whether it was a lack of confidence due to a reduction in minutes, or simply hitting his “rookie wall” Shai began to struggle throughout both January and February. Over those two months, Shai only averaged 9 points and 3.3 assists per game on 42.3% from the field and 22.2% from three. He also saw his playing time drop to 23.6 minutes per game, with most of his absence coming in crunch time. The biggest drop-off in offense came from behind the three point line. Shai saw a 10% drop off in his percentage from the corners and nearly halved his percentage on above the break threes. During his struggles, the Clippers sputtered to a 13-14 record, leaving their playoff hopes in jeopardy.
How did Shai, and the Clippers, respond? With their best month of the season. The Clippers exploded to a 13-2 record in March, vaunting them into the sixth seed in the Western Conference, and within striking distance of home court in the first round. Shai had a resurgence of his own, posting averages of 14.2 points and 3.3 assists while shooting an efficient 52.3% from the field and an incredible 59.4% from deep.
Shai was aggressive in March, taking nearly 20 more shots in the restricted area than he did in the previous two months respectively, while shooting nearly 65% on those attempts. He has also shown a newfound command and confidence in his jumper. He shot 42.8% from the corners and has been on fire from above the break, shooting over 72%. He is also shooting nearly 64% on step-backs, while taking nearly three times as many of those shots as he had the previous two months combined. This version of Shai, while accounting for the shooting to come back down to earth a little, is vital to the Clippers’ hopes to escape the first round of the playoffs. He would add another layer to an already powerful offense, after showing his ability to score at all three levels of a defense.
While Shai was not projected by many to be more than a compliment to whatever big name free agent the Clippers pursue, his torrid March has shown hints of a player that projects to make a name very much his own. If Shai is able to bring this level of play to the playoffs this year and beyond, the Clippers will become an even more attractive destination to this year’s free agent class. The team, flush with cap space, may not need to look farther than their own backcourt for their next star.