Luka Doncic heaps praise on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander after Mavericks’ win over Thunder

He didn’t walk away from Monday night’s contest with a win, but Shai Gilgeous-Alexander certainly earned the respect of Luka Doncic.

The Thunder star matched his career-high with 42 points in Oklahoma City’s 121-114 loss to Dallas, hitting 14 of his 23 field goal attempts and draining all 13 of his free throw attempts. Unfortunately for Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder, Doncic also had a spectacular performance, totaling 38 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists in the Mavericks’ victory.

During his postgame media availability, Doncic, who is one of only two players in the NBA currently averaging more points per game (33.1) than Gilgeous-Alexander (31.2), praised the 24-year-old’s skill set.

“He’s a complete player,” Doncic said. “He’s playing at his own pace. He’s unbelievable at drawing fouls, just playing at his own pace. It’s really amazing to watch, and he’s been doing it this whole season, even before. So, he’s beautiful to watch.”

As Doncic noted, Gilgeous-Alexander has shown that he is a master of attacking the rim and creating contact. He leads the league in drives per game, and he is among the top five in free throws made, free throw attempts and points in the paint.

If Gilgeous-Alexander is able to avoid the injury bug and sustain this level of play, he should secure the first All-Star berth of his career later this season. Hall of Famer Charles Barkley went so far as to recently say that Gilgeous-Alexander should be an All-Star starter in the loaded Western Conference.

While he appreciated those comments, Gilgeous-Alexander told reporters earlier this month that he is prioritizing team success over individual accolades.

“The recognition is obviously a nice thing, but obviously that’s not what I work out every day for,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “We’ve got a good group going here, a lot of young players that are finding themselves in the NBA. My job is to kind of spearhead, lead that, make sure everybody’s getting better.

“But I think we’re doing so, so that’s all I’m worried about.”