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Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander named ‘Canada’s national treasure’ by coach
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- Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander named ‘Canada’s national treasure’ by coach
Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander named 'Canada's national treasure' by coach appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has placed himself in complicated conversations over the last few years. His meteoric rise over the last three years has already put him in all-time point guard discussions. It's hard to argue against a two-time MVP who also brought the Oklahoma City Thunder their first championship in franchise history.
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Gilgeous-Alexander's status as a Canadian legend is also a hot topic nowadays. Canada's rise as an international basketball powerhouse is directly tied to the Thunder star's presence. Canada's head coach Gordie Herbert had this to say about their superstar point guard.
"I call him Canada's national treasure," Herbert said, per Clemente Almanza. "Better person than a player. I think that tells you what person he is."
It helps that Gilgeous-Alexander himself is excited to play for Team Canada. Here's what the Thunder star had to say a week earlier about the chance to represent his country.
"Playing for your country is what I dreamed about as a kid, being able to have the opportunity to do this, so I just choose the opportunity to do so every single time. It's that simple."
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Canada's last foray in the international scene has been full of both surprise and heartbreak. In the 2023 FIBA World Cup, Canada announced their arrival by making it all the way to the semi-final round. While they were eliminated by Serbia in the semis, they knocked up USA in the bronze medal game for a podium finish. SGA was selected to the All-Tournament Team. The Thunder star became the first Canadian to win such an award.
However, in the 2024 Olympics, things went downhill for Canada. Placed into the "group of death" with Spain, Australia, and Greece, Gilgeous-Alexander and co. went undefeated. However, they were shockingly eliminated in the quarterfinals by France. The Thunder star was named a member of the All-Tournament Second Team.
Gilgeous-Alexander remains committed to playing for his country, alongside his Thunder teammate Lu Dort. The next major tournament coming up is the FIBA World Cup next year.
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