Why Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is Impossible to Guard 

He has the handle, body control, strength and vision to "take what they give you". Everyone that hoops wants to play this way. Being able to have a counter for everything on the court is probably what flying feels like. And he guards. Special player.

He’s improved significantly every single year, going back to high school. He missed his high schools JV TEAM when he was a freshman, improved to a bench player on the varsity team his sophomore year, was a starter and 4 star recruit by his senior season, and entered Kentucky as the lowest ranked player in their class. He was at the end of the rotation and by midway through the season was the team’s best player. His rookie year on the Clippers he averaged 10 ppg, and improved that to 19 ppg his 2nd season. Chris Paul said Shai has improved more than any player he’s ever seen in his career. I’ve never seen another play finish too 5 in MIP voting 3 years out of their first 5 in their career.

Picked a pretty damn good day to post this. 7/12 shooting, 14/16 from the line. 6 ice cold free throws with less than a minute remaining. He's elite.

ONE OF THE BEST BREAKDOWNS IVE EVER HEARD

This dude has MVP potential

Basketball is such a beautiful game as i got older and really fell in love with the game i really realized its not just offense and defense and coaching plays and xs and os its literally a science to the game like chess its so many ways to get better and have an advantage of your opponent if you study the game a lot like players like mj Kobe and lebron you can just beat teams off of brains and smarts then just talent like picking spots knowin what oppostion going to do how they going to do it scout your opponents , thats why I loved the mj era Kobe era those players really studied the game and poured their heart and soul into this era these young dudes dont love the game enough to study and wanna win and have a legacy thats going to live on forever but as long as their scoring a lot and gettin paid a lot of money their fine with that no wonder why players like harden havent won anything , appreciate lebron now before hes gone one of the last dying breed of a true student of the game and a player that wants to be a goat

Shai's movement on the ankles/borderline splits strongly remind me of professional tennis players, how they outstretch their legs to get something that's just barely within their reach, and recovering just the same way he does thereafter. So much strain on the lower legs, but they make it look so easy. Shai's so slick with it

He's a 6'6" Kyrie Irving with better defensive potential. He's special and he plays his game with a high IQ.

Amazing breakdown! I feel like the only thing separating Shai from being an undeniable top 3 guy in the league every year is his playmaking. He’s definitely a great passer, but because of his score first mentality most of looks are reactionary once his scoring opportunity gets cut off, rather than seeing plays develop before they are there. If he unlocks that part of his game, or just progressively improves in that aspect I don’t see how anybody can possibly stop him

So glad sga starting to get the recognition he deserves cause he’s been elite for 3 seasons now. If it wasn’t for an injury last year he would’ve been this efficient for 3 years straight, at such a young age it’s incredible. Can’t wait for him to do it in the playoffs so the remaining sga haters can shut up

Was big on SGA since he was drafted. Ppl thought I was crazy and a most still do. SGA is a hooper 💯🎯 8:21 had me crying 😂😭

Track star mother, basketball coach father...explains a lot of this! the combination of athleticism and skill is something to behold

I think your breakdown is excellent. He is a contradiction in that he plays with great patience and is willing to reset, but he also doesn't over dribble... It's weird for an isolation player to not want to show off their handle. Shai can dribble probably just a little below the level of an Iverson or Kyrie, but his mentality is more of a Kobe, Oscar Robertson, or Michael Jordan. He wants to work smart and not hard and score with as little moves as possible. He doesn't shoot a lot of threes so controlling the pace, not over dribbling, etc. is what helps him score 30 a game as a guard without launching a lot of threes. There's a great maturity to his game.

SGA reminds me of dwade change of pace and Kobe counters to everything the defense throws at him. Obviously not as great as those players yet but who knows what the future holds. Thanks for the great video putting a light on his genius

he's such an insanely smart player. wicked improvements year over year. can't wait to see what this season brings. the rest of the team is getting really strong now so he has an awesome opportunity to add some creative passing to his bag. i think if he's able to add that along with slightly better efficiency from deep in the coming years, you'd be looking at a SERIOUSLY dominant player

Thanks for the meticulous breakdown. its helping in breaking down my own game and constructing a new set of moves.

excellent video. the comparison to the D1 player at the rec earned my sub. it perfectly encapsulates his whole "i'm at half speed but still busting their ass" mode. But at the NBA level, it's really unfathomable. Also, your follower's comparison to Barry Sanders too. spot on.

This is a banger of an analysis. Very good video.

I just been binging shai content and ofc I had to come revisit this gem. ✌🏾

Had to sub for this one. Great breakdown

Bro I love your videos I can watch this all day

Great video dude

I love Shai’s game. Great video, all of that being said and he’s one of the most clutch players in the league. He’s had great potential ever since being in the league and even before that. Man went to work and has improved every season. Love seeing my favorite player blossom into an absolute superstar. He’s always had that craftiness and creativity in his game and have been a huge fan of it for a long time. Could never get old of watching him play. I’m excited to see how my team does this year!!!

Great video breakdown 👌

Nice breakdown... LIKED & SUBSCRIBED

Top 5 smoothest player in the nba. He got a nasty midrange game. That punch dribble pull up is one for the books

Dude is so nice. Excited to see both his and Morant’s game down the road

He’s so good at getting where he wants to and no defender in the league could really stop it unless he bounces the ball off his own foot, plus he’s a threat on defense too

He also almost always attacks the top of his defenders foot. Blows past them everytime

Shai has perfected the push off.

I’m gonna hop on the SGA train and say he’ll be the future face of the league

earned a sub, great video!

Great video. Appreciate his game even more now

OKC is the most exciting team of last 15 years of so IMO. SGA, Giddy, Holmgren and others are very unique players with very different skill sets. Apart from that these moves by SGA are very injury-prone and I hope this young man does not injure himself.

Good analysis video

Keep up with the great content bro. As a guard, you best believe that i'm also using this as inspiration for my game 🏀

And this didn't even cover his playmaking and defensive potential. With his teamates FINALLY improving around him, I wouldn't be surprised if SGA is viewed as a top-10 player by many after this season

OKC is going to be so much fun this watch this upcoming season!

it’s so great being a thunder fan

I don’t think we’re taking enough about his feet dragging and how he angles his feet, like yeah he has a crazy ankles, but his feet just normal dribbling are dragging. Idk if it’s just me tho

Great video !! but at @13:23 i don't think he reacted to it. More so he baited the help defense. From the start he must have recognized that the right lane was bigger than the left. So I order to open it more he fake drived left to counter with the spin move that allowed him to seal the first defender.

SGA's game is just really smooth, nice, and all around fundamentally sound. He plays very controlled ball and at his own pace. MVP status.

My favorite player to watch in the league. His game is just poetry in motion🥰🤩

best 20 min nba vid ive watched in my life dude wow

Honestly he’s kinda like a less vertical Michael Jordan

Great breakdown

Really great at reg season. But lets remember that playoff pace and defense is something else. I would love to see him in more of those situations.

impressive attention to detail, especially on the ankles!

@hoop venue how do I check all of antmans post up attempts this season with videos?

Great video this definitely will help me in my mext season aldo saved it so i can watch it again ur so underated 🙏🏼

🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 can we keep the throwback breakdowns like gilbert arenas, vince carter, andre iguodala, rip hamilton

Honestly never really watched Shai too much and kinda thought he was a lil over rated and just getting good stats on a bad team but being from Canada and watching his play In the World Cup changed my perspective heavily I watched most games and I don’t think he missed a single clutch shot, he really is impossible to guard and he always plays under control. If Canada can get wiggins and Boucher or trey lyles they have a good chance next year with Shai and Murray handling the scoring and Dort and brooks handling the defence. We just need another big or two

Nice attention to detail! Shout out to that leg sleeve (skims) 😂

bro I love it at 10:04 when Green scolds Kuminga for letting Shai tool on him

This guy uses his thin body and tall, lean physique to the utmost. He's like a gazelle cutting through the apex predators. Moreover, like a race car driver, Shai always seems aware of the terrain. He does the landscape of the track. He's so sure-footed it's unbelievable. Added to his ability to protect the ball by extending his long arms, his moves are pure "professional," mafia-like, nothing personal. Shai comes directly for you, and like that Fantastic Four cartoon character, his rubber body genius does the rest. No touching him; the touching is in reverse.

I have a question if u charge in witjba shoulder to someojes chest is thay not a charge

really good video

one of few players ever where’s there’s just literally no comparison. nobody has ever played like he does. it’s insane. closest thing is honestly MJ but i don’t like throwing that around

Hoop Venue, I always show ur videos to my wife and 5 kids and tell ‘em how great SGA is.

Its called split-stepping.

that foot drag makes friction, so my guess is that is what allows him to go stop so quickly and takes lil beating off that lead plant foot. I wonder if that is all thought out and calculated, or if he is just that freakishly gifted it is just natural for him to do regardless of if he is aware of the actual mechanics of it all...Dont appear he is "thinking" long between moves so must have crazy fast mental processing of what he is seeing and anticipating...

The way he explodes of dribble is nice, thats what im trying to train myself to do.

Ima a huuuuge okc fan and at first I hated this trade but that first yr with cp3 I seen the potential just needed players around him and you see the result now how efficient and smooth bro is I give it one more yr before he’s literally talked about every game on ESPN fs1 etc in the likes of Steph Luka Kyrie Brunson etc…..etc…..he’s a dog and extremely humble love sga man he’s perfect for the thunder and presti will eventually have his 4th mvp in less than 2 decades

Shai could be an all time great top 20 player. He's only 25 and already earned 1st team all NBA, he'll be in the MVP discussions this season.

Dude is so deadly. One of my favorite guys to watch playing. He’s so smooth with the moves.

I grew up watching Jordan an Kobe play. He might be up next 🤔 very similar

I think SGA has the best footwork and handles. Dude must skate a lot. Hockey players do have good foot work

Been my fav player since his Kentucky days. I knew he could be a good player in the league like a borderline all star or all time role player but when Cp3 joined okc I saw the immediate impact. When he left I knew the keys were now Shai's and that it was a matter of time before he took off. Glad to see I was right as he is now an mvp candidate and leading the best and most clear young core in the league

He’s slowly becoming my favorite player.

he has nasty footwork. I'm really fast but no where as good footwork wise as him, and after you cross over if you can make the right steps directly towards the basket its so effective getting past your defender like he does. also has a strong core, he stops and keeps his balance so good and makes those contact finishes look so easy

Shai has slinky ankles it's crazy to watch

My glitch 6'9 TMac been dominating with Orlando even got Giannis, Lamelo, AD, Wiseman, Mobley, etc. All above 90 overall all on 1 team with me but my 92 overall Suggs while great lockdown and can catch and shoot and dunk on ppl I feel like I should trade him for Shai. A Lamelo and Shai backcourt would be terrifying outside of my unstoppable frontcourt

MVP! He is unstoppable, CLUTCHPLAYER and so smart, good defender…..

6:40😂😂😂

got that alien dribble style with his flexibility

Nice breakdown! Could you do a breakdown on why is kuka doncic unstoppable in fiba?

His lay up package is basic but effective, how he kisses the top tier of the blackboard on almost every attempt.

Generational video

8:15 is all you need to see to know shai's body

Man when he picks up his dribble that's when hes really a threat like he becomes lethal SGA is sick never seen nothing so slow and fast so ugly and smooth everytime i think hes finally gonna miss he makes it with pure skill and accuracy trick me everytime😂

This guy always makes me rage on 2k 😂

Can you do Darius Garland next?

This is all instinct. Most players just have the feel

Definitely my 24 template, with some tweaks 😂

It’s crazy that He was kind of a nobody with the clippers and now is a MVP candidate with the thunder shai really stepped up his game

aleksa avramovic has joined the chat

Jaylen Brown your next video Hoop Venue 😤😤😤😤😤😤

crazy he made all of these moves look easy😵

SGA plays very elegant ball. Such a high iq and poise player

The thing is he thinking while doing this or it’s just off instinct cause if he is thinking about these moves it’s amazing

man his game is so eloquent

His ball handling, footwork, mid range, finishing, post up, and shot fakes are all elite. He’s mastered the drive and then Barkley (drive into post up) game.

"sent to a different dimension for research purposes"💀

Needs to become more resilient in playoffs situations, but other than that, he's already one of the best 1 on 1 scorers I've seen.

To me he’s > Ant…Ant is Rose 2.0 but SGA is closer to Jordan in terms of creativity, 4Q clutch genes, footwork, fadeaway, counters, etc not too mention his D. He will also have longevity as he doesn’t need to go 100% on his jumps; just so efficient with every move to conserve energy and minimize injury. His IQ is thru the roof and plays with so much poise and confidence. He’s already playing like a chess master vs checker players. Loved this video as it shows all the details of this maestro in action.

He has so much Julius Erving in his game 💪🏽

If you’re wondering why Thunder aren’t winning championships, average nba team offense is 1.14 points per possession. He might be one of the best iso scorers but you want as few isolations as possible rather than being good at it.

He reminds me of Jordan. Graceful and talented baller. 🏀🔥

being a die hard okc fan i was so pissed when we lost pg13 to Sga but shit sga has been locked in every since hes got there and i was tryn to figure out how is he so good to say he's not much of a shooter, but this video broke it down...🫡

he is very good but he also needs to look for passes there were a lot of possesions when giddy was open bc of the help