OKLAHOMA CITY – Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had just received the NBA Most Valuable Player award when he noticed something suspicious. There was a man sitting courtside next to his wife, Hailey, that he had never seen sitting in his courtside seats at a Thunder game before. Before the Oklahoma City Thunder guard could raise his eyebrow, he realized that he had a surprise visitor: Chris Paul, his former teammate and mentor.
“It was amazing. It caught me off guard. I had to like double take. I was like, ‘Who is that sitting with my wife?’ ” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “I got a little tight, but I saw it was Chris. And I was like, ‘Cool.’ ”
Gilgeous-Alexander earned his first MVP award after winning the scoring title and leading the Thunder to a league-high 68 wins. A day after it was announced, NBA commissioner Adam Silver presented him with the MVP trophy prior to the Thunder’s 118-103 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 2 of the Western Conference finals on Thursday night at Paycom Center. Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder will take a 2-0 series lead into Game 3 on Saturday in Minneapolis.
Paul enjoyed sitting courtside watching his former teammates, Gilgeous-Alexander and NBA All-Defensive first-team selection Luguentz Dort, get recognized for their greatness.
“It means everything to be here,” Paul told Andscape. “You see Lu finally make his first All-Defensive team. And getting to take this game in with [Gilgeous-Alexander’s wife], I’m happy for him.”
Gilgeous-Alexander joined other teammates behind Thunder forward Chet Holmgren during his postgame interview airing in China. Once that interview was over, Gilgeous-Alexander ducked under a protective tape courtside to hug and kiss his wife before dapping a smiling Paul, who apparently had his old teammate thinking he wasn’t attending the game.
“You just lied in my face now,” Gilgeous-Alexander told Paul with a smile.
“Who?” Paul said.
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Paul is a future Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer with 12 NBA All-Star appearances and is a member of the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team. The 20-year NBA veteran who turned 40 on May 6 told Andscape he hasn’t decided on his playing future yet. Paul played in all 82 regular-season games for the San Antonio Spurs this season, but the free agent-to-be told Andscape in March that he will be talking to his wife and two children this offseason about whether he should continue playing.
Paul was also teammates with Gilgeous-Alexander for one season with the Thunder during the 2019-2020 NBA season that was affected by the coronavirus pandemic. In addition to Paul, it was Gilgeous-Alexander’s first season with the Thunder. The Los Angeles Clippers traded Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari and five first-round draft picks to the Thunder on July 10, 2019, for NBA All-Star forward Paul George.
Paul reveled in mentoring Gilgeous-Alexander and Dort. Along with sharing the backcourt, it was not uncommon to see Gilgeous-Alexander by Paul’s side during the NBA Bubble in Orlando, Florida, in 2020. From that one season together, Paul not only became a mentor to Gilgeous-Alexander but a very close friend. Gilgeous-Alexander is one of the five NBA players starring in Netflix’s second season of “Starting Five” and Paul is expected to have a recurring role due to their close relationship.
“He has been great, not only as a big brother, mentor, but he is like a friend,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “He is always there to lean on. He was the first guy in my life that I was close with that achieved the things that I want to achieve. And I really lean on him for advice, but not only basketball advice — business advice, taking care of your body advice, handling the family when they don’t live with you.
“There are so many things that you deal with as an NBA player, especially of his caliber, that go under the radar. His guidance with that was great not only on off the court issues, not only with all the mentorship, just being there as a friend.”
The love that Paul has for Gilgeous-Alexander is mutual.
“That is my family right there. I wouldn’t miss it for nothing,” Paul said about attending the game where Gilgeous-Alexander got the NBA MVP award. “Especially a moment like that.”
Of all the advice Paul gave to Gilgeous-Alexander, the latter said the most valuable has been Paul teaching him about improving his diet. Gilgeous-Alexander, 26, said he used to be a chain restaurant junkie who adored eating at The Cheesecake Factory and fast-food restaurants. The Canadian’s guilty pleasure was eating slices of Domino’s Pizza late at night.
Paul changed Gilgeous-Alexander’s diet for the better during their time in the NBA Bubble.
“When I was younger, I ate terrible,” Gilgeous-Alexander told Andscape. “He showed me how to take care of your body and eat well.”
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Paul said he saw Gilgeous-Alexander’s potential for greatness before he got to the Thunder.
Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 19 points, 5.9 rebounds and 3.3 assists during his first season with the Thunder alongside Paul. Gilgeous-Alexander earned his first of three NBA All-Star appearances in 2023 and finished second behind Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic in MVP voting in 2024, but this season Gilgeous-Alexander won his first MVP award over Jokic by a landslide.
“When he was a rookie, I was really close with [Clippers athletic trainer] Jasen Powell even though I left. And he told me about [Gilgeous-Alexander’s] work ethic,” Paul said.
Paul has been to two Western Conference finals and played in one NBA Finals with the Phoenix Suns in 2021. Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder are taking part in the franchise’s first Western Conference finals since 2016. Since moving from Seattle in 2008, the Thunder have only been to the NBA Finals once, losing to the Miami Heat in 2012. Today’s Thunder seem poised for history as they owned the NBA’s best regular-season record (68-14) and have the talent to become the franchise’s first-ever champion.
While reality has the Thunder just six wins away from their first NBA title, Gilgeous-Alexander said it’s “pretty easy” to be focused on Game 3 of the Western Conference finals.
“All season long, we’ve got into the habit in focusing on the next game and worrying about what is in front of us. It is no different in this situation,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “We are aware of where we are in this season. We would do ourselves a disservice if we veered from what got us here. And that is we prioritize.”
Paul wouldn’t be surprised to hear that quote from his treasured pupil and friend. Don’t be surprised if Paul is back in Oklahoma City supporting his little brother if he makes it to the NBA Finals.
“At the end of the day, all he cares about is winning,” Paul said.