Shai Gilgeous-Alexander seeking to turn out to be first participant since Shaquille O'Neal to win scoring title, championship

I learn the Athletic’s story in regards to the ‘Dawn Coaching’ exercises. Are you able to paint an image of what the highlights of these exercises have been? Mitchell: “It’s been a constant base of associates in his circle which were devoted to his craft and getting up early. It was 7 a.m., now it’s 6 a.m. due to the beginning of his youngster, so he can spend extra time with household. It’s been constant for the final seven or eight years. He will get up within the morning, will get within the gymnasium and works out with shut associates. These guys have been in line with rebounding, defending and simulating basketball eventualities. I’ve guided them on what ideas to deal with. He has a buddy who coaches at a Canadian college who helps. Now we have a 6-foot-8 man who performed Division I ball who defends him day by day. That lets him simulate midrange work and post-ups towards size. That helps put together him for NBA defenders. I’ve coached at a excessive degree, so I’ve been in a position to dictate eventualities and put together him to learn defenses. Even with out NBA gamers within the gymnasium, he’s studying again down defenders, shoot over size, and hit robust midrange pictures. That work is instantly transferable.” -via Accountable Gaming / June 5, 2025

How has the commentary landed with you in the course of the playoffs that Shai’s being a free-throw service provider? Mitchell: “I believe it’s good. If no person’s speaking about you, then your staff’s not doing nicely sufficient. I don’t actually need to talk on it—however I’ll. The reason has been put out sufficient. A variety of sports activities science folks and TV analysts speak in regards to the quantity of drives he has per sport and the way that compares to foul-per-drive charges. He’s not even high 5 within the league. For those who take away his free throws and everybody else’s free throws, he’s nonetheless main the league in scoring. For those who evaluate his free-throw charge to that of former MVPs, he’s not within the high 10. It’s not corresponding to Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant or James Harden. I believe persons are reaching. On this period, the place 3-point quantity has elevated, the free-throw charge has decreased. So when you have got a participant replicating what the sport was with a mixture of the new-school sport, you’re seeing somebody dominate. Gamers in earlier eras had been doing the identical factor, however extra usually. As a result of immediately’s sport has so many extra leap pictures, it simply appears like he’s getting extra calls. However the numbers say that’s false. Extra gamers are getting fouled at a better charge on fewer drives. That leads me to imagine there are extra ‘free-throw retailers’ earlier than you even get to him.” -via Accountable Gaming / June 5, 2025

It’s protected to say Gilgeous-Alexander had fairly a come-up in highschool, but it surely was deeper than merely ultimately incomes a spot on the College of Kentucky. This week, he described a lesson he discovered in highschool, one which got here to be a defining attribute in his life. The ability of calm. “I was a child that received mad and threw the ball across the courtroom over a pickup sport,” he stated. “My coaches taught me the older you get, the much less you get away with issues like that.” “To be the man I wish to be, I can’t behave like that as a result of it’ll translate to the remainder of my staff. That lesson all the time caught with me. I nonetheless have [that fire], I nonetheless really feel it. I simply perceive to not let it present, and it type of weaponized it for myself. Exhibiting [your emotion] offers your opponent a weapon as nicely.” -via ESPN / June 5, 2025