LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Before Shai Gilgeous-Alexander became the 2025 MVP of the National Basketball Association, SGA was named the MVP of Kentucky’s season-opening victory over Mark Pope and Utah Valley on Nov. 10, 2017.
He scored 13 points, he distributed four assists, he grabbed four steals and contributed three rebounds.
Poised and determined to play at his pace, Gilgeous-Alexander played like the guy Kenny Payne encouraged John Calipari to recruit after Payne focused on SGA early in his senior high school system.
Once committed to Florida, Gilgeous-Alexander de-committed Oct. 17, 2016. Less than a month later, UK outworked Texas, Syracuse and UNLV to sign him.
“What I loved about Shai was that he was always even keel,” Payne said. “He knew how to handle hard situations. He was always calm and cool. You couldn’t speed him up. But he was vicious on the court.”
That performance against Utah Valley earned SGA game MVP recognition from Ken Pomeroy’s college basketball analytics site.
This is what that performance did not earn SGA: More than one more start in Kentucky’s next 14 games.
In 13 of those games Calipari went with (brace yourself) Quade Green — over the taller, smoother, more talented player who just won the NBA scoring title. SGA has the Oklahoma City Thunder parked three wins from their first NBA title. Game Three of the NBA Finals will be Wednesday night in Indianapolis against the Pacers.
It was during that 14-game stretch when Gilgeous-Alexander convinced Payne he had the mental bandwidth as well as the physical gifts to excel in the NBA.
Payne is the former UK assistant and Louisville head coach now back with Calipari at Arkansas. Payne will never say that he knew SGA would become the first former Kentucky player to become NBA MVP or even that he was certain he would become an all-star.
But Payne was convinced Gilgeous-Alexander was special for the way he handled playing behind Green.
“Cal brought (SGA) into the office,” Payne said. “He told him, ‘Look, I’ve started Quade quite a bit and I know you’re playing well. But for the good of the team and the chemistry of the team, I like where you are. I like what you’re doing.’ “
SGA did not move into the starting lineup to stay until Jan. 9 against Texas A&M. But he was more than a super sub. He was a sensationally mature sub, scoring 24 points in a victory over Louisville, 21 against Georgia and double figures in six other games.
“The kid never got upset,” Payne said. “He never rattled the cage. He told (the coaches), ‘I trust you. Do what you’ve got to do. I’m good.’
“Now, at every practice before it was over, he was going at Quade. But he never questioned how good he was or what his impact was. He just played.
“He was always the best. Always the hardest worker in the weight room. Always on time to class. Always on time to his tutor sessions.
“Any moment of free time, he was in the training room, making sure his body was good. He was a pro before he was a pro.
“And by the middle of the season, Cal started him and he just dominated.”
Gilgeous-Alexander has never stopped dominating. He finished that season leading the Wildcats in assists, steals, three-point shooting percentage and minutes. Only Kevin Knox scored more points.
The Los Angeles Clippers selected SGA with the No. 11 pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. But the Clippers being the Clippers, they traded him after his rookie season.
The Clippers sent SGA, Danilo Gallinari and multiple draft picks to OKC for all-star forward Paul George and draft picks.
Before training camp Thunder general manager Sam Presti flew to Lexington to talk to Calipari and Payne about Gilgeous-Alexander. Presti was looking for a player to lead his young, improving team. He believed SGA could be that leader.
“He told us they needed to figure out who this kid is, what he’s all about, how to gain his trust and get him to believe in what they’re doing,” Payne said. “They needed to do all of their homework.
“Think about what I’m saying to you: This is the GM of the Oklahoma City Thunder flying to Lexington, Kentucky to do his due diligence on one player.”
And what did Payne tell Presti?
“I just told him the truth,” Payne said. “This is a kid who has seen a lot. He’s very unassuming. What that means is he’s watching you. He’s studying you. He’s never going to say a word.
“But if you lie to him, you’re done. If you’re about (baloney) and manipulation, you’re done. He’s never going to tell you anything.
“But he’s watching you. And he’s not just watching how you’re treating him, he’s watching how you treat other people and other players and what you’re saying to other people and other players.
“And that’s a gift. That’s a real gift. That’s one reason he’s such a tremendous leader.”
A tremendous leader. A tremendous player. A tremendous scorer. A Most Valuable Player. And maybe an NBA champion?
How much joy does Payne take in watching Gilgeous-Alexander succeed?
“It’s unbelievable.” Payne said. “It just goes to show that with young people, you have to build that foundation.
“I think the gratifying thing now is when you watch him do interviews, he doesn’t like to do them by himself.
“He’s always deflecting the attention on him and putting it on the team. All he’s ever cared about is playing the right way and winning and the things that it takes to be the best that he can be. That’s special. He’s special.”
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