Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was asked whether he and the San Antonio Spurs could develop into the league’s premier rivalry following Saturday’s NBA Cup semifinal, in which the Spurs narrowly escaped with a 111-109 victory
His response revealed his thoughts on the possibility.
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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Weighs in on Potential Rivalry Against the Spurs
The Spurs and Thunder’s NBA Cup semifinal on Saturday was one of the best games of the season. The clash had the energy of a playoff game, going down to the wire.
After the game, a reporter asked Gilgeous-Alexander if he thinks the Spurs and Thunder could foster the “best rivalry” in the league.
“Possibly, yeah. There’s a good chance,” the Thunder star replied. “They’re young, really good, have a lot of talent, play the right way, play a good brand of basketball. Definitely a possibility. I’ve noticed that anything can happen in a couple years. Not a hundred percent, but definitely a possibility.”
SGA on Thunder/Spurs being a rivalry:
“Possibly. Yeah, there’s a good chance. I’ve noticed that anything can happen in a couple of years” pic.twitter.com/0WgLXnCUh5
— Oh No He Didn’t (@ohnohedidnt24) December 14, 2025
There are similarities between the Thunder and Spurs that justify the notion of a rivalry.
Both teams have towering 7-footers with star potential in Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren. Gilgeous-Alexander and De’Aaron Fox are both 27 years old, from Kentucky, and serve as the on-court leaders of their respective teams.
Both squads also have a wealth of young talent that could make them competitive for years to come. If these teams remain together, they could battle to prove who deserves to be known as the most dominant force in the Western Conference.
Interestingly, this is not the first time these organizations have been pitted against each other. Toward the end of the big three era featuring Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, and Tim Duncan, the Kevin Durant-led Thunder were seen as their conference rivals.
Since being traded from the Los Angeles Clippers to the Thunder, Gilgeous-Alexander has played 19 games against the Spurs, winning 11 of them. Meanwhile, with Victor Wembanyama, the Spurs hold a 2-3 record against the Thunder.
Fans won’t need to wait long to see more of this budding rivalry, as the Thunder and Spurs are set to face each other three more times this season.
Their next two matchups are scheduled as back-to-back games on Dec. 23 and Dec. 25, followed by their last regular-season meeting of the 2025-26 campaign on Jan. 13.