Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of Toronto, Ontario, became only the second basketball all-time to win the Northern Star Award on Monday. Gilgeous-Alexander follows Steve Nash of Victoria, British Columbia, who won the award in 2005, when the award was known as the Lou Marsh Award. The award is presented to the top Canadian athlete of the year.
Gilgeous-Alexander shined for the Oklahoma City Thunder in the National Basketball Association and for Team Canada in the FIBA Basketball World Cup in 2023. With the Thunder, he averaged 31.4 points per game, 5.5 assists per game, 4.8 rebounds per game, 1.6 steals per game, one block per game, and had a field goal percentage of .510, three-point percentage of .345, and a free throw percentage of .905 during the 2022-23 NBA season. The only three players who averaged more points per game were NBA MVP Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers (33.1), Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks (32.4), and Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers (32.2).
However, you could make the argument that the Canadian superstar has been even better in 2023-24. Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 30.4 points per game, 6.2 assists per game, 5.5 rebounds per game, and 2.8 steals per game. He also has a field goal percentage of .550, three-point percentage of .343, and a free throw percentage of .917. The 2.8 steals per game leads the NBA.
As a team, the Oklahoma City Thunder are playing great. They are at 15 wins and seven losses. Only the Minnesota Timberwolves are better at 17 wins and five losses.
Gilgeous-Alexander also shined for Canada, as they won the bronze medal in the FIBA Men’s Basketball World Cup in Asia in September. He averaged 24.5 points per game and also led the tournament with a 30.4 efficiency percentage.
