Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is an intriguing 6-foot-6 point guard prospect. He worked his way into the Kentucky Wildcats’ lineup and now into the Lottery.
Former Kentucky Wildcats guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was the 35th-ranked player and the ninth-ranked point guard in the 2017 ESPN Top 100 recruits ranking. Hardly what anyone thought would become a Lottery pick after one year in school.
But the 6-foot-6, 180-pound athlete proved to be one of the best point guards in college basketball last season. He quickly became an easy choice to make the Lottery with his mixture of size and playmaking.
Gilgeous-Alexander led the Wildcats to a Sweet 16 appearance averaging a team-high 20.3 points per game in the NCAA Tournament. He erupted for 29 points against the Buffalo Bulls on 10-for-12 shooting from the field in the second round.
He averaged 14.4 points per game and 5.1 assists per game with a 51.6 percent effective field goal percentage. Gilgeous-Alexander displayed athleticism and shooting ability. All in an oversized package.
So how did Kentucky’s lowest-rated recruit become its best player down the stretch?
Kentucky head coach John Calipari alluded to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s hard work and dedication on Twitter after the freshman declared for the NBA draft in April.
Calipari said Gilgeous-Alexander is an example he will use for young prospects moving forward as someone whose discipline helped him make the most of his physical tools.
That suggests a mentality that goes beyond his play on the court. Which was already very impressive.
With his length and athleticism, he seems to fit a clear model for a certain kind of point guard. One that several teams are sure to fall in love with. And maybe make a reach for.
The Good
There is a lot to like about Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s game. He is a crafty scorer who can take his man off the dribble and finish with an acrobatic layup.
Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 5.1 assists per game and plays the point guard position at his own pace. He is adept at changing speeds and changing direction. Gilgeous-Alexander is a good ball-handler and shows poise beyond his years on the court.
His length though is what will get him the most attention. Gilgeous-Alexander is a 6-foot-6 point guard with a 7-foot wingspan.
He uses it well on defense. Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 1.6 steals per game and had seven games of three steals or more. He recorded a career-high five steals against the Davidson Wildcats.
This seems to fit a specific mold of player that has taken over the NBA. Long rangy defenders who can guard multiple positions. That is what Gilgeous-Alexander can do and what he will have to do to make it in the NBA.
Gilgeous-Alexander also has good shooting mechanics and shot 40 percent from three at Kentucky. He did not take many, grant, attempting only 1.5 per game.
But he shot 81 percent from the free-throw line with 4.7 attempts per game, which is a good indication of what type of shooter Gilgeous-Alexander will be in the NBA.
Gilgeous-Alexander not only could get to the line effectively, but had good form there. That suggests his shooting will continue to improve.
He had big games late in the season and seemed to be peaking as the year went on. As Calipari noted, his work showed how much he got better as the season went on. His combination of size, speed and athleticism, is a good bit of the attractive part of his game.
The Bad
Although Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is a crafty scorer, with a flurry of crossover moves, floaters and acrobatic layups, he did not show enough shooting in college.
Gilgeous-Alexander shot the ball well in his few attempts but simply did not show a ton of confidence in that shot consistently. He took just 10.2 field goal attempts per game and was not incredibly efficient at 48.2 percent.
He has a slow release on his spot-up attempts and needs to gain more confidence in his shot. When he does that he will become more consistent with his shooting mechanics.
Another concern about Gilgeous-Alexander’s game is that he is a below-the-rim player. Explosive plays were lacking in his lone season at Kentucky. It is a concern whether he will be able to drive past more experienced defenders in the NBA.
Not to mention finish at the rim against them. He could find it difficult when he gets to the basket and into the paint.
And this is where the other problem might sneak in. Gilgeous-Alexander as a big point guard will have to keep a low center of gravity and avoid turnovers.
That is the biggest concern. Gilgeous-Alexander had a high turnover rate at 2.7 per game and a 17.9 percent turnover rate. He will have to do a better job staying in control and avoiding wild passes. A lot of this will likely come from maturity, but it may take some time to get there.
With his poor finishing ability above the rim, he might get caught driving too deep into the lane and having few outlets to kick out.
Draft Sites Say
Mike Schmitz, ESPN.com
"Gilgeous-Alexander grew up around athletics and has been praised by coaches at every level for his work ethic. He had some nice moments during the 2017 Nike Hoop Summit week but appeared to be far from certain to spend only one year in Lexington. He eventually emerged as Kentucky’s most valuable player and is now likely a lock to be drafted in the lottery given his tools and feel."
Kevin O’Connor, The Ringer
"Plays with fire and energy. Super-active off-ball defender who uses his long arms to get steals, cause deflections, and take away passing angles. Excellent lateral quickness with good fundamentals, which makes him an immediately impactful on-ball defender. . . . Average athlete for a guard; doesn’t get much elevation on layup attempts. Solid playmaker, but takes too many careless risks; he must learn how to value possessions. Awkward push shot with a low release when shooting off the catch, so he may need to tweak his mechanics."
Jackson Hoy, The Stepien
"Gilgeous-Alexander generated a lot of buzz as he averaged 21 points, 6.7 assists, 5 rebounds, and just 1.7 turnovers per game during Kentucky’s run through the SEC tournament to a victory in the championship. The hype only grew after his impressive play in the NCAA tournament. His size, feel, shake, and craft are all enticing especially given his ability to run an offense, but he still faces questions about his burst, three-point shooting ability, and skinny frame. Where he ends up will likely depend on a team’s trust in his ability to add value off the ball on offense, as teams may be reluctant to put him next to another ball-handler without assurance that he’ll be a reliable spot-up shooter. That said, he’s a promising developmental piece with the potential to be a dynamic two-way lead guard."
Eric Yearian, NBADraft.net
"Has excellent height and length for a lead guard at 6’6” and even more impressive length, possessing a 7-foot wingspan … Measured a 6.23% body fat percentage at Kentucky’s preseason pro day … Has a 36” vertical. . . . Slight of frame, weighing only 180 pounds … Will need to add strength to absorb contact on both ends of the floor and over the course of an 82 game season … Needs further development to be a lead guard at the next level."
Final Word
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is a terrific NBA prospect with loads of potential. He proved the ability to score and run an offense at Kentucky.
His ceiling is James Harden because of his size, craftiness and ability to finish around the rim. Although, it is hard to see him ever averaging 30-plus points per game and winning a scoring title. His floor, on the other hand, is Elfrid Payton because of questions on whether he will be a good shooter in the NBA.
That wide range is part of what makes him intriguing and what makes him a risk still. He is certainly willing to put in the work and can produce at a fairly high level. But there remain questions whether he can put it all together.
He has the physical tools NBA teams surely like. The length and athleticism are strong. He is a hard worker on defense. That will be a good place to start.
Gilgeous-Alexander will have to prove he can play point guard full time and his shot is confident and consistent. From there, it remains to be seen whether all those skills will come together.
NBA representatives should bet on the development of Gilgeous-Alexander because he is a proven hard-worker. He worked his way into the starting lineup at Kentucky and became arguably the best player on the team.
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If he continues to develop his game and gain more confidence with his jumper, Gilgeous-Alexander will be an all-star and a transcendent player at the point guard position.