OKC Thunder Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Earns High Praise From One of Basketball’s Most Recognizable Voices

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander receives a glowing endorsement from Mike Breen© Joshua Gateley/Getty Images/AFP

Mike Breen has a clear opinion on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and he shared it this week. The veteran announcer told SiriusXM NBA Radio the Oklahoma City Thunder guard is everything a franchise player should be. Breen also defended his style of play. The praise came after a rough few days for the team. Two lopsided losses and a growing injury list had Oklahoma City on its heels before the reigning MVP scored 43 points against Cleveland. What he said afterward shows how he is handling the pressure. The Thunder meet the Cavaliers again Wednesday.

What Did Mike Breen Say About Shai Gilgeous-Alexander?

In the interview, Breen described Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as a model franchise player. “He's everything that you want the NBA to be about,” Breen said. “He's everything you want in a franchise player in terms of his character, in terms of his leadership, in terms of his agenda and wanting to win, and then you take in his unbelievable talent and the efficient way he puts up all these numbers.”

The 65-year-old announcer also spoke up about the push-offs and drives drawing criticism. “He's obviously a winner, so I hate that so much is focused on the push-offs, on some of the drives, but I think the NBA did a great job this offseason, and kind of determining that ‘Yeah, some of that stuff's allowed as long as it's not forceful,'” Breen added.

The numbers back up the praise. The 28-year-old is averaging 28.4 points, 4.3 rebounds and 4.0 assists through seven games this season.

How Did Gilgeous-Alexander Respond To The Thunder's Rough Week?

The week was tough on the floor. Oklahoma City lost 120-96 to Dallas, its worst defeat of the season, then fell 119-98 to Houston. Injuries added to the strain. Jalen Williams and Cason Wallace are both dealing with injuries that could last all season, and Chet Holmgren will be out for the next two months.

Then came Cleveland. The guard took over in the second half of the 117-112 win and scored 43. “The way the past week has gone, I needed to have better personal energy,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “I just tried to stay in the moment tonight more than anything, and I guess it paid off.”

He also spoke about coach Mark Daigneault, who took over ahead of Gilgeous-Alexander's second season in Oklahoma City. The pair won the 2025 championship, the first in franchise history, and have posted the West's best record three seasons running.

“It's not always pretty and cute. Sometimes I'm mad at him, and sometimes he tells me to shut up. Sometimes he's right. Sometimes I'm right, or I'd like to think,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “But I think because of our relationship off the court, we both know where we're coming from. That's what holds everything together,” he added.