Chris Paul picks Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as his preferred choice over Luka Doncic
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As the two standouts from the 2018 NBA Draft class, Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic are always bound to be compared. They have plenty of similarities in their game as bigger guards who are dominant on offense.
Gilgeous-Alexander has the advantage when it comes to accomplishments with a championship, an MVP, and a Finals MVP under his belt. Doncic is considered among the very best, but some people, like the legendary Chris Paul, prefer OKC's cornerstone.
Paul admits that he prefers Gilgeous-Alexander over Doncic
Paul is one of the most respected basketball minds in recent basketball history. He might have never won a championship in his career, but basketball fans can admit that he was one of the best floor generals in NBA history.
With his knowledge, Paul knows what it takes to be a star in the NBA. The league has plenty of stars, but two of the most compelling ones are Gilgeous-Alexander and Doncic. They have earned their status as two of the best players in the league, which has led to a debate about picking between them.
MORE: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on why controlling his pace is the secret behind his dominant play
He might be a bit biased because he was his teammate, but Paul prefers Gilgeous-Alexander. The OKC guard is a tremendous player, especially when he plays isolation basketball. He knows how to control his pace, which throws off any defender.
At the same time, Gilgeous-Alexander is the much better defender between the two 2018 draftees. That was a deciding factor in Paul's decision to pick the Thunder's main man.
"I think that year that we played together, he also started to see that defense matters. You ain't got to be a lockdown defender or whatnot, but when you are playing defense, the teammates want to see the stars are actually trying," Paul said during the 7PM in Brooklyn show hosted by Carmelo Anthony.
"Now, Steph, he defends up. I got a lot of respect for Steph, Shai, and all these guys who at least try on the defensive end. That's part of it, and the teammates love to see it."
Of course, Doncic is a fantastic player, but the defensive gap might be too wide. It might have been the key behind SGA's success because he can lead the team by example on defense, while Luka is more of a passive player on that end of the floor.
Paul's statement about Gilgeous-Alexander will resonate with more people because that two-way ability can go a long way. If Doncic wants to close the gap, he might need to try harder on defense to complement his absurd offensive impact.
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