Editor’s note: Over the past few weeks, The Oklahoman has published a series of report cards on each of the Thunder’s 15 main roster players. Grades will be curved relative to role and expectations. Final up in the series, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. 

We saved the best for last, ending our Thunder report card series with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Spoiler alert: He passed.

Just when we wondered if SGA could replicate his magnificent 2022-23 season, in which he finished fifth for MVP, Gilgeous-Alexander was even better this season — second to Nuggets center Nikola Jokic in the MVP race.

Let’s compare SGA’s last two seasons.

2022-23: 68 games, 31.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 1.6 steals, 2.8 turnovers, 51% FG, 34.5% 3FG, 90.5% FT

2023-24: 75 games, 30.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 2.0 steals, 2.2 turnovers, 53.5% FG, 35.3% 3FG, 87.4% FT

To summarize, SGA set a career high in assists while committing fewer turnovers. His 2.0 steals were a career high and second only to Sacramento’s De’Aaron Fox. SGA’s 5.5 rebounds per game were the most since his first season in OKC. He averaged 1.4 fewer points per game but was more efficient from both inside and outside the arc.

His only notable regression was from the free throw line, where he attempted 8.7 free throws per game down from 10.9 a year ago. That can, in part, be chalked up to the way the game was officiated in the latter half of this season. Still, SGA’s 567 made free throws led the NBA.

In 10 playoff games, SGA averaged 30.2 points on 49.6% shooting. He shot 43.2% from 3-point range on 3.7 attempts per game. SGA scored 34.1% of the Thunder’s points in the playoffs.

SGA’s efficiency is what elevates him into an elite tier. He shot a career-high 57.6% on 2-pointers: 73.1% from zero to three feet (career high), 49.2% from three to 10 feet, 53% from 10 to 16 feet (career high), 47.2% from 16 feet to the 3-point line.

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Gilgeous-Alexander attempted 3.6 3-pointers per game, up from 2.5 last season, but he’s a throwback in how he hunts twos.

Among guards (as listed by stats.nba.com) who played in at least 65 games, only T.J. McConnell, Kyle Anderson and DeMar DeRozan had a higher percentage of their field goal attempts come from inside the arc than SGA, who took 81.9% of his shots from 2-point range.

When the Thunder’s offense sputtered in the Mavericks series, SGA’s mastery from the midrange is what kept OKC from stalling out completely.

His baseline jumper was lethal. In 10 playoff games, SGA shot 32-of-56 (57%) on mid-range baseline jumpers. That’s stupid.

If efficiency isn’t his best offensive trait, then it’s consistency.

He scored 30-plus points in 51 of his 75 games. Dallas’ Luka Doncic was second with 50 games of 30-plus.

Gilgeous-Alexander had one game in which he failed to crack double digits. It was the first game of the season, against Denver.

Gilgeous-Alexander also had the best defensive season of his career. His 150 total steals led the NBA and his 67 blocks were a career high.

He became the third player in NBA history to average at least 30 points on 50% shooting and at least two steals per game. The others? Michael Jordan and Stephen Curry.

SGA was named to his second consecutive All-Star team and is an undisputed top-five player in the NBA.

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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander by the numbers

11.3. The Thunder outscored opponents by 11.3 points per 100 possessions when SGA was on the court. When he was off the court, the Thunder was outscored by 0.1 points per 100 possessions.

7,921. SGA is third behind Russell Westbrook (18,859) and Kevin Durant (15,942) on the Thunder’s all-time scoring list. Gilgeous-Alexander is almost halfway to Durant’s total.

5. Five players in NBA history have averaged at least 30 points, five rebounds and six assists while shooting above 50% in a single season: Michael Jordan (three times), Stephen Curry, LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander offseason homework

Here’s what he said when asked in his exit interview:

“Just off the top of my head, you can always be more efficient. Always. So I work on efficiency in every area. You can always be better defensively on and off the ball. And then just continuing to make sure my game doesn’t hinder the development of the people around me, the development of my teammates, which is just as important as my development.”

Mature answer from SGA, who will turn 26 in July.

His game clearly hasn’t hindered the development of his teammates, but there’s another level for Gilgeous-Alexander to reach as a passer and playmaker given the amount of attention he draws.

There’s untapped potential with the SGA/Chet Holmgren two-man game.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander grade: A+

The MVP runner-up fueled the Thunder’s remarkable regular season, but we hadn’t seen him be the guy in the playoffs. Until we did.

Joe Mussatto is a sports columnist for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Joe? Email him at jmussatto@oklahoman.com. Support Joe's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander report card: An A+ season for Thunder star