Aug. 4, 2026, 2:05 p.m. CT
Now a two-time MVP and one-time NBA champion, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has penciled his name alongside some of the greatest players in league history. Zooming out to basketball’s lore, you can easily make the case that he’s the latest addition to the all-time guard lineage — carrying the torch from Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and Stephen Curry.
That said, Gilgeous-Alexander’s journey to the NBA throne is famously unconventional. He went from a promising lottery prospect to one of the most efficient scorers ever. All within a four-year span. Heck, he wasn’t even the headliner in OKC’s 2019 Paul George blockbuster return.
Each year, Gilgeous-Alexander adds to his unique mythos. Four consecutive 30-point seasons and a trophy case filled to the brim have turned him into one of the NBA’s faces of its current era. As long as the Oklahoma City Thunder remain a title contender, he’ll be at the forefront of most conversations.
Not even Gilgeous-Alexander’s biggest homers could’ve predicted his meteoric rise in the NBA. But one family member knew he was destined for greatness — on the basketball court or whatever else path in life he chose. His father — Vaughn Alexander — revealed when he knew his son was special on a recent social media livestream.
According to Alexander, it happened when Gilgeous-Alexander was just two years old. As an infant, his motor skills were off the charts. To the point that his pediatrician recommended that he attend a private school when he was of age.
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“A long time ago. This is not to be conceded or anything like that, but probably when he was a kid,” Alexander said. “I remember bringing him to the doctor one time. The doctor made him pick up a pencil and said, ‘This kid has crazy motor skills. You should put this kid in a Montessori.'”
That’s pretty crazy to hear from Gilgeous-Alexander’s father. For those who don’t know, a Montessori school is a student-oriented alternative to regular schooling. The curriculum focuses on a hands-on approach with various ages grouped. The tuition-based school originated from Maria Montessori. The 19th-and-20th-century Italian doctor and teacher believed children learn best when deciding on their own tasks.
“He’s trying to show me that he’s really advanced right now. His brain is moving fast. He tried to show me that if I do leave him in a regular school, he’ll probably be a smart kid — just like everybody else,” Alexander said. “But he’ll come down to everybody else’s level. Put him in Montessori right now and he’ll be a genius.”
Gilgeous-Alexander’s pediatrician turned out to be right two decades later. He’s defied the odds and become an NBA superstar. The walking 30-point bucket is one of the latest additions to the NBA’s pantheon of superstars. As he continued to add to his mythos, his old-school scoring style has influenced the next generation of professional hoopers. Just like other all-time great guards have had the same effect.
“That had nothing to do with basketball,” Alexander said. “That’s just how special he was.”