Paul George has long been considered the most fluid, comfortable, silky player in the league. His highlights are worthy of smooth jazz playing in the background, rarely taking a dramatic pause and never a drum solo, just sliding and grooving to countless buckets. At times, it seems effortless.
This led to a fantastic career that included top-three MVPs, nine All-Stars, six All-NBA selections, and four All-Defensive Teams. Today, George focuses on podcasting while continuing to score on the court.
On Monday, George hosted a podcast interview with Oklahoma City Thunder great Chet Holmgren, as the two discussed everything from basketball to commercials. One of the topics of discussion was Holmgren’s star teammate, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
George named Gilgeous-Alexander the league’s smoothest player, an honor the former Thunder forward has held since nearly the day he entered the NBA.
“He’s easily one of my favorite players. People give me that nickname for my ease on the court. It’s Shai. Shai’s probably the most eased player in the league right now. No matter what you do, he’s got a counterattack,” George said.
The ending feeling is the perfect way to describe Gilgeous-Alexander and what makes the Thunder superstar truly impossible to guard. A high pickup and the guard is moving toward the basket, finishing at a world-beating pace. If you step away from the star to set up for the drive, he’ll punish you from mid-range. There’s no right answer — the superstar simply lets the defense pick its poison.
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