Although Team Canada did not win the title, they emerged as heroes in the 2023 FIBA World Cup. Led by their superstar, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the team won their first-ever medal in the prestigious event, taking home the bronze. However, the Oklahoma City Thunder recently got snubbed for the “unreal” Luka Doncic who finished 5 positions below him in the FIBA World Cup.
Despite having one of his best international seasons, Doncic could not lead Team Slovenia to any medal. The team finished 8th in the tournament after a highly undermining run. However, this did not stop a $60,000,000 worth NBA star from snubbing Gilgeous-Alexander to pay respect to the Mavericks franchise player in one particular aspect.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander gets snubbed for “unreal” Luka Doncic
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Shai is undoubtedly one of the most promising players in the NBA currently. The Thunder guard put his incredible skills on display on Team Canada’s journey to the bronze medal. However, in his versatile arsenal on the offensive end, does he possess the bag Luka Doncic does?
Luka Doncic may possess phenomenal shot-making and leadership abilities, but his offensive game is defined by his handles. The 25-year-old possesses one of the most polished ball-handling skills that help him create space for every shot. This impressed the Indiana Pacers star, Myles Turner who gave Doncic the edge over the Thunder guard in this aspect.
“I’m probably going to give it to Luka bruh”, said Turner. He continued, “And I’m only saying that because of like the way he gets his shots off. We’re talking about just straight handles. Yeah bruh, Shai probably got him there but as far as bag work and getting shots off, bro, I might give it to Luka on that one”. He further remarks, “The shots I’ve seen this man make bruh, just in pickup, not even an NBA game…it’s unreal. And I personally only played against Shai maybe twice in my entire career”.
Myles Turner may have given Doncic the edge, but Gilgeous-Alexander’s “bag” is no less. His agility and dynamic ball-handling ability have made him a lethal offensive player. If an All-NBA First Team selection was not enough to prove his worth, his FIBA World Cup run made tremendous noise. In fact, his performance in the tournament even had Doncic floored, who hailed praise for the 25-year-old.
Luka Magic himself hails praise for Gilgeous-Alexander
Although Luka Doncic had a terrific run in the FIBA World Cup, he could not lead his team past Gilgeous-Alexander’s mighty Team Canada. Despite Team Canada delivering the knockout punch to Team Slovenia, Doncic had some high praise for the Thunder guard.
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“Congratulations to Canada. They played great. They have one of the world’s best players, and it was really tough to guard him.” said the Mavericks guard. His kind words towards Team Canada’s hero, Gilgeous-Alexander, marked a terrific moment of sportsmanship. After his appreciation of the Canadian star, he went on to make it to the FIBA World Cup “All-Star Five” alongside Shai.
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Gilgeous-Alexander averaged a whopping 24.5 PPG and 6.4 APG in the 2023 FIBA World Cup. He has evidently carried his reputation in the NBA to the international stage, bringing glory to his nation. This serves as a reminder of his immaculate offensive game. However, when it comes to the “bag”, Myles Turner seems to have a clear choice: Luka Doncic.
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