In the early days of their relationship, Thunder general manager Sam Presti handed Shai Gilgeous-Alexander a children's book, "The Tortoise and the Hare." Gilgeous-Alexander expected a lengthy adult work, but Presti's gift carried a clear message: a plea for patience and a promise to pursue NBA success on a slow, steady path together. Gilgeous-Alexander said the lesson resonated with his own journey.
The message mattered most after his second season in Oklahoma City, the frustrating first year of Presti's full rebuild. Gilgeous-Alexander spent much of it sidelined by plantar fasciitis as the Thunder went 22-50 and landed a lottery pick. Meanwhile, Luka Doncic, Trae Young and Ja Morant, all selected near him in the 2018 draft, were thriving on playoff teams. Gilgeous-Alexander privately saw himself as their peer, a minority view that Presti shared. Presti insisted the franchise could not take shortcuts toward sustained contention.
In the 2021 offseason, Gilgeous-Alexander and Presti agreed to a five-year, $172 million maximum extension. Unlike the deals signed by Doncic and Young that summer, his contract included no player option, reflecting his commitment to an Oklahoma City franchise that had acquired him in the Paul George trade. The deal represented mutual trust between a player determined to prove himself and an executive committed to a long-term plan.
Five years later, Gilgeous-Alexander is the reigning back-to-back MVP, and a 2024-25 championship banner hangs in Paycom Center. Viewed in hindsight, that extension looks like a remarkable bargain. At the time, it was a calculated gamble that a player who had not yet been an All-Star would blossom. Gilgeous-Alexander said he simply believed in Presti as a person.
Source: ESPN NBA · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing