Penton: Canadian star one of the best in NBA
By Bruce Penton
The United States of America might produce the world’s best basketball teams — the U.S. has won 17 of 21 gold medals at the Olympics, including the last five in a row — but when it comes to individual play, Americans take a back seat.
A basketball website recently selected the top 100 National Basketball Association players and although much of the pre-season NBA chatter revolved around the Lakers’ LeBron James playing on the same court as his son Bronny — Ha! Gordie Howe did the same thing in hockey with TWO of his sons — LeBron was listed as only the eighth best player in the league.
In fact, you’ve got to scroll down the list to No. 6 to find the first American, Steph Curry, in the top 100.
Proudly, Canada has the fourth-best player on the list, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (everyone calls him ‘SGA), who finished second in the Most Valuable Player voting last year while leading Oklahoma City Thunder to a first-place finish in the Western Conference with a 57-25 record. Born in Toronto 26 years ago, Gilgeous-Alexander played college ball with the powerhouse Kentucky Wildcats. He was drafted 11th overall by Charlotte in 2018 but was traded to the L.A. Clippers the same day. The next year, the Clippers sent him to Oklahoma City, where he blossomed into a superstar. He is a two-time first-team all-star and has averaged more than 30 points in each of the last two seasons. Only Luka Doncic of Slovenia (No. 3 on the CBS Top 100 list) and Giannis Antetokounmpo of Greece (No. 2 on the list) outscored Gilgeous-Alexander last season. (No. 1 on the Top 100 list, by the way, is Denver’s Nikola Jokic of Serbia.) The Canadian guard also led the NBA in steals, averaging 2.0 per game.
The CBS.com story about the Top 100 players says Gilgeous-Alexander “led the NBA in drives for the fourth straight season in 2023-24, and, with improved spacing around him, opponents had an even tougher time disrupting his funky rhythm.”
“No disrespect to those who aren’t star players, but growing up, I idolized Kobe Bryant, the cornerstone of the Lakers; LeBron James, the bedrock of the Cavaliers; and Allen Iverson, the linchpin for the 76ers,” Gilgeous-Alexander told the footboom.com website. “These were the players who left an indelible mark while I watched basketball. These are the guys you aspire to emulate and draw inspiration from. Indirectly, (general manager Sam Presti) has granted me that chance to step into a similar role.”
The Thunder made a couple of key acquisitions during the offseason and Sportsnet’s Michael Grange says the Canadian national team star “will have a platform like he’s never had before, likely an MVP award to go with it and — given the Thunder’s relative youth and roster flexibility — the possibility that this is only the start.”
Meanwhile, Canadian fans of the NBA may have a hard time getting excited about the Toronto Raptors, who are in a rebuilding phase and destined to miss the playoffs. But with the exploits of Gilgeous-Alexander, fans north of the border have a homegrown superstar to cheer for.
RJ Currie of sportsdeke.com: “Cleveland has one of the six NFL teams without a cheerleading squad. Inside sources say this may change if the Browns do something to cheer about.”
Vancouver comedy guy Torben Rolfsen: “Wayne Gretzky used to say you miss 100 per cent of the shots you don’t take. Unless you’re Bronny James, then you miss 100 per cent of the shots you do take.”
Headline at fark.com: “These two crazy Brits have played more than 1,000 mini golf courses. What completely useless thing have you done lately?”
Steve Simmons in the Toronto Sun: “I love the Gregg Popovich line to his hopefuls at his training camp in San Antonio: ‘It’s your job as a player to make me play you. Don’t be a victim.’”
Another one from Simmons: “Graterol is either a relief pitcher with the Dodgers or a medication I take daily.”
Another one from Torben Rolfsen: “BC Lions are waiting to see if they’re going to Regina or Winnipeg for the CFL West semi-final. Very important to know for packing. You know, sweaters, mosquito netting, black flies.”
Jack Finarelli at sportscurmudgeon.com: “Cleveland Browns: When your starting QB goes out for the year and many folks believe that is a positive occurrence for your team, that team is incompetent.”
Another one from Finarelli, writing about the Canadian Football League: “Unlike the U.S, folks in Canada have a sense of geography. Not a single team in the East Division is further west than any team in the West Division. Amazing!”
RJ Currie again: “A tortoise with bad feet that lives in a theme park in Norfolk, England, has been outfitted with wheel rims and tires. They renamed it Danica Patrick.”
Another fark.com offering; “The NY Jets can’t buy a touchdown, heading for a 2-15 season. Jets’ execs: Better raise prices.”
Care to comment? Email brucepenton2003@yahoo.ca