Kendrick Perkins has continued to provoke his former OKC Thunder teammates. Other players may disagree with him calling Shai Gilgeous-Alexander the greatest Thunder player.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander won the 2024-25 regular season MVP, cementing his legacy as a top player. He is the third Oklahoma City Thunder player to win the award after Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. The 2024-25 MVP is a big fan of both former Thunder superstars.
Due to his immense achievement, people are already comparing him to the other franchise icons. Kendrick Perkins, a former Thunder player, has talked about how Gilgeous-Alexander might be the franchise’s best-ever player.
The young superstar could become an even bigger franchise icon if OKC wins the 2025 NBA Finals. However, Perkins calling him the greatest to ever play for the Thunder is still a stretch for now.
Gilgeous-Alexander is arguably the best player in the league. He is on par with superstars like Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Winning an MVP over those players has cemented him as a modern-day great.
At the moment, Gilgeous-Alexander is also the superstar of the best team in the league. The Thunder have a young squad, but SGA has led the charge for them to compete for a championship.
It is reminiscent of the Thunder team that had Durant, Westbrook, and James Harden. All three players ended up winning the MVP later on, but they also made it to the NBA Finals. With Gilgeous-Alexander on pace to match their achievement, Perkins might have made a good point.
“The greatest Thunder of all time. He already joined the company of Michael Jordan, three consecutive seasons of scoring 30 over 50%. Now, he has hoisted up the MVP trophy,” Perkins said on ESPN.
“Now, he’s on his way to the NBA Finals, and he’s gonna win an NBA championship.
“He’s going to win Finals MVP. We’re watching a young man who’s the best perimeter player on the offensive end. The way he’s playing, he’s unguardable, it’s not gonna stop. He’s in the zone.”
The Thunder are close to making it to their second NBA Finals as a franchise in Oklahoma City. They did it in 2012 with Durant and Westbrook, but lost to LeBron James and the Miami Heat. Unlike that time, the Thunder are the favorites, which is a feather in Gilgeous-Alexander’s cap.
As long as he keeps following this path, Gilgeous-Alexander can fulfill Perkins’ claim. It is not the most outrageous take, but it is a loaded one. Durant has not been too happy with Perkins lately.
With general manager Sam Presti at the helm, it is fair for the Thunder to have massive expectations. He built this team well with Gilgeous-Alexander as the superstar and will keep building the team for a shot at winning the championship, which could happen this season.
