ESPN's Scott Van Pelt Lauds Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's Game 7 Performance

Despite a loss in the Western Conference Finals, the Oklahoma City Thunder star had a stellar performance.

May 30, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) controls the ball against San Antonio Spurs forward Julian Champagnie (30) in the fourth quarter during game seven of the western conference finals for the 2026 NBA playoffs at Paycom Center. | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

The Oklahoma City Thunder have received plenty of vitriol on social media, and even from national pundits, over the past few years.

During the 2026 playoffs, the disdain for OKC appeared to reach its peak, as online obserers complained about the team's physicality and it's superstar's ability to draw fouls.

A reporter from Yahoo Sports even published multiple articles specifically centered around how many times Shai Gilgeous-Alexander fell during games.

There were some national media members, though, who left Oklahoma City's loss to San Antonio in the Western Conference Finals with a different takeaway.

ESPN's Scott Van Pelt, one of the most prominent figures in sports media, applauded Gilgeous-Alexander's performance in the Thunder's final contest of the 2025-26 season, even highlighting the MVP's maturity after the Game 7 loss.

"Shai (Gilgeous-Alexander) was as good as you can be in (Game 7)," Van Pelt said. "He was even better after. The leadership that was displayed, the accountability, the credit given, the thoughtfulness, to anything that was asked of him. ... You can't be better in a loss than Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was on Saturday night. Can't play better, can't be a better example, can't lead better."

"You can't be better in a loss than Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was on Saturday night... can't play better, can't be a better example, can't lead better... Shai acted like a grown ass man before during and after."@notthefakeSVP on SGA's performance in game 7 and actions afterward pic.twitter.com/06VqV05eyY

— SVPod (@_SVPod) June 1, 2026

Gilgeous-Alexander tallied 35 points, 9 assists, 4 rebounds, 3 steals and a block in the Thunder's Game 7 loss to San Antonio, shooting 12-of-21 from the field, 2-of-5 from 3-point range and 9-of-11 from the free throw line.

After Oklahoma City trailed by 14 points early in the contest, Gilgeous-Alexander helped lead an impressive comeback that saw Mark Daigneault's team briefly take the lead.

With a significant portion of the team's offensive punch sidelined, as Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell missed most of the series with injuries, Gilgeous-Alexander's efforts in Game 7 weren't enough to come away with a win and send OKC back to the NBA Finals.

Still, the two-time MVP's performance was commendable, especially against a strong Spurs' defense that features the unanimous Defensive Player of the Year in Victor Wembanyama.

For much of the series, San Antonio held SGA below his usual standards, as Game 7 was the only time Gilgeous-Alexander shot above 50% in the matchup. After shooting better than 55% from the field during the regular season, the eight-year veteran shot below 50% in five of the seven games.

Game 2 was the only other time that Gilgeous-Alexander knocked down at least 50% of his field goal attempts, shooting 12-of-24 from the floor.

After a heartbreaking loss, Gilgeous-Alexander and company look to the 2026-27 season in hopes of making a return to the NBA Finals.