Exclusive: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander the Closest Thing to Kobe Bryant, says Former NBA Champion Tracy Murray

Former Los Angeles Lakers assistant coach Tracy Murray shared his thoughts on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's success and drew parallels to the late Kobe Bryant. 

Murray sees Gilgeous-Alexander as a quiet yet effective leader for the Oklahoma City Thunder, who recently won their first NBA championship. The Hamilton, Ontario native played a pivotal role in their title run, earning both NBA MVP and NBA Finals MVP honours. 

After an impressive rookie campaign with the Los Angeles Clippers, Gilgeous-Alexander joined the Thunder in 2019 after he was acquired in a blockbuster trade. He was included as part of a package, along with Danilo Gallinari and several draft picks, in exchange for Paul George. 

In this exclusive conversation, produced in collaboration with The Game Plan, Murray shared his perspective on Bryant, who he believes was the only player to match the mentality and work ethic of Michael Jordan. 

"[Bryant] had the same mentality as Michael Jordan. He was talented, he was gifted, and he didn't let anybody outwork him," Murray told SportsBoom.com. 

Though Murray admits that no player has yet matched Bryan’s mentality, he’s been very impressed by Gilgeous-Alexander' development and success.

"I think the closest thing to [Bryant] is probably Shai.”

“Shai, approximately the same size [as Bryant], attack mode, numbers,” he added.

“Shai is very driven. He works hard, you see him add something to his game."

“Just watching him from a distance, he’s not barking at anybody, but he still leads. He’s a respectable leader on the team.”

A CHIP ON HIS SHOULDER

Murray believes the blockbuster trade fueled a fire in Gilgeous-Alexander, giving him a chip on his shoulder to prove the Clippers wrong. 

Given the Thunder’s recent success, it’s clear that Oklahoma City came out ahead in the trade. The Clippers have yet to win an NBA championship, and George is no longer with the franchise. 

“When the business happens, that’s when things change up and you develop a chip on your shoulder,” Murray said. 

Gilgeous-Alexander, 27, capped off a career year last season, setting personal bests with 32.7 PPG, and 6.4 APG. 

The Hamilton, Ontario native continued his stellar play in the playoffs, averaging 29.9 PPG, 6.5 APG, and 1.7 steals per game. 

“[Gilgeous-Alexander] had that chip on his shoulder and he kept developing, staying in the gym, and look what you have now. You have a little monster on your hands,” Murray said. 

LEADING BY EXAMPLE

Murray, 53, also emphasized that Gilgeous-Alexander has done an excellent job leading by example. 

While Murray admits he hasn’t spent time with Gilgeous-Alexander in a professional setting and can’t speak to ‘SGA’s day-to-day routine, he believes the true test for the Thunder now lies in their ability to return to the NBA Finals and defend their title.

“We just know that [Gilgeous-Alexander] improves every year and he’s won now. Let’s see how the rest of it plays out,” Murray said.

“It’s a mentality, [Gilgeous-Alexander] attacks on the court.” 

“I just know that that whole team loves each other. And, it’s easier to play when roles are accepted, everybody loves each other, everybody’s on the same page.” 

“I’m really curious to see how OKC is going to handle that whole deal because I’ve never seen anything like it,” Murray concluded.