Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has carried the mantle of a franchise star admirably for the Oklahoma City Thunder and was recently asked about that responsibility by media at Thunder practice, prompting the 26-year-old guard to open up on following the franchise star blueprint he’s seen players like Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and Allen Iverson set over the last two decades.
“No knock on anybody that’s not a star player but growing up, you watch Kobe Bryant, cornerstone of the Lakers franchise; you watch LeBron James, cornerstone of Cleveland franchise; you watch Allen Iverson, cornerstone of Philly’s franchise. Those are the guys budding in your face when you watch the game of basketball. The guys you go out and try to emulate and go out there and inspire to play the game. Indirectly, (Presti) has given me that opportunity to be that guy.”
