SUMMARY
- Notably, James has a winning record of 6-4 against Gilgeous-Alexander.
- Gilgeous-Alexander debuted in the NBA in 2018 after being picked by the Charlotte Hornets.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has shown the qualities of the best player since his debut game. His remarkable skills and basketball IQ have made him a fan favorite. He often leaves fans speechless and stunned through his iconic performances. However, Gilgeous-Alexander left them stunned because of his revelation that he never liked LeBron James, one of the legendary players.
Everyone was taken aback upon hearing about this, as most players grew to idolize James. However, there is a reason behind this. Furthermore, the two have often competed during their careers, and it is a game worth watching. Notably, James has a winning record of 6-4 against Gilgeous-Alexander. King James is the oldest active player in the league and, hence, has earned quite a lot of respect despite the controversies.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (31 PTS) leads the charge as OKC picks up their 3rd win in a row! ⛈️ pic.twitter.com/cRxkSXJjU1
— NBA (@NBA) December 22, 2023
Furthermore, Gilgeous-Alexander debuted in the NBA in 2018 after being picked by the Charlotte Hornets. He was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers on the same night of the draft, and he played one season with them. After this, he joined the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2019 and is currently playing with them. Throughout his career, he has received awards and recognitions.
Additionally, he wasn’t athletic or tall growing up, which is why Gilgeous-Alexander never liked James’ game. In his mini-documentary on the league’s ‘Pass The Rock‘ series, he said, “I never liked [LeBron’s] game. To me, when I was younger, he was just super athletic, I wasn’t that. He was 6’8”, and super strong and I wasn’t that either.” The first part of his quotes went viral, and the reason behind it, which gives the full picture, is relatively unknown.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was inspired by Kobe Bryant growing up
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander didn’t like LeBron James’ games growing up. Therefore, he didn’t draw inspiration from him which is evident in the different playing styles. This brings the question of who the OKC Thunder star was inspired by growing up. Turns out, it was none other than Kobe Bryant.
In the same mini-documentary, he revealed, “I was more of a Kobe fan. He just kills you with skill.” This is not the only time he spoke about Bryant. In one of the other interviews, he spoke about how Black Mamba is a more complete player than Michael Jordan. He made an intriguing statement to put his opinion forward. Gilgeous-Alexander said, “Kobe is Michael Jordan just on steroids”.
He continued to explain that the Lakers star is all-around, as his competitive nature, championships, and a lot of other things go into it. Interestingly, he also stated how he would sequence out the finest player in the history of the NBA. Not so surprisingly, he placed Kobe Bryant in the first position, just like how Bryant did to end the GOAT debate. Furthermore, James was in the second spot, and Jordan was in the third.