Following an All-Star break where the Oklahoma City Thunder reside in second place in the Western Conference, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander notched 31 points in the weekend’s marquee event, and second-year rising star Jalen Williams hit the winning bucket in the Rising Stars Challenge, all the hype surrounds the team located smack-dab in the middle of the country.
Following Shai’s spectacular weekend, ex-NBA player Stephon Marbury lauded SGA as the best Canadian out of Canada.
Obviously and probably wisely, Gilgeous-Alexander answered, “I appreciate that, but Steve is still ahead of me. I’m going to try to catch him, but he’s still ahead of me.”
Is Shai better than Steve Nash? First of all, you’d have to define what “better” is. But the short answer, at least in 2024, is no. Shai hasn’t won an MVP yet, but since Nash didn’t win an NBA title, that’s all that stands between him and Nash. Based on Shai’s skillset, is he better than Nash? I’d say yes. But he doesn’t have the accolades to accompany him, so for now, Nash is still the Canadian King of Hoops.
But see, Steve Nash is tied closely to OKC’s one-two punch of SGA and Williams (J Dub). While Nash and SGA share Canadian nationality, J Dub and Nash both attended Santa Clara University, a school with a respected basketball program. The Broncos have hung their hat on being “the college Steve Nash went to” for a long time, and rightfully so, but things are changing. Williams could end up being just as, or more recognizable as the school’s next big name to go on to do great things.
Why? Well, clearly, on the court, he’s an all-around player, flexing his talent on both ends of the floor, and has “budding superstar” written across his chest. In addition, Nash was a quiet guy. He wasn’t the loudest, most fashionable, and didn’t serve as his own personal PR agency. Jalen Williams checks all those boxes. Nash was clearly a marketable player, an NBA icon at the point guard position, but long-term, J Dub can surpass him, and, in the current age of free self-promotion, Dub is in a position to become one of the most visible players in the league and the most recognizable name to come out of Santa Clara.
For the record, while at Santa Clara Nash averaged 14.9 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game in four total seasons. Williams played three seasons and averaged 12.6 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game.
In the NBA, Nash averaged 14.3 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 8.5 assists per game over 18 seasons. Williams, in almost two seasons, averages 16.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game but already boasts more impressive shooting numbers than Nash, shooting 45.3% from 3 and 54.4% from the field.
Gilgeous-Alexander averages more than 30 points per game this season and 22.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 6.5 assists for his career through six seasons, so it’s safe to say the only thing he’s missing are the accolades.
Steve Nash is an all-time great and a top 10 all-time point guard. However, Oklahoma City has two guys who are gunning for two things Nash is known most for; being the best hooper out of Canada and the best hooper to grace the court at Santa Clara University.
