Social Media Reacts: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Team Canada Upset by Victor Wembanyama

The Oklahoma City Thunder sent superstar guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and defensive ace Lu Dort to the Olympics to battle with Team Canada in hopes of medaling for their home country - a goal a year in the making after the squad finished with a Bronze medal around their neck in the FIBA World Cup last summer.

Team Canada felt like a shoo-in to medal at the Paris, France games in 2024. Holding the best odds at winning the whole thing behind the powerhouse that is Team USA. When the Canadians' came out on the opposite side of the bracket as the USA, it felt like a near lock.

Tuesday, the knockout stage opened up with the quarterfinals where Team Canada faced off with Team France led by San Antonio Spurs phenom Victor Wembanyama. The host country got off to a hot start and eventually saw their lead swell to 19 points in this contest against Canada - that was good enough to pull off an upset of the 7.5-point favorites.

This marks a disastrous day in Team Canada's basketball history as one of their best squads ever with the best chance to earn hardware was ousted before the semi-finals - a round that they have not reached since 1984.

Gilgeous-Alexander did everything he could to will his home country to the next round, finishing with 27 points, five rebounds, four assists a steal and a block en route to an 82-73 loss.

Raw reaction from SGA on Canada’s loss to France. Tough finish to its Olympics run
pic.twitter.com/nLczW7CqE1
— Clemente Almanza (@CAlmanza1007) August 6, 2024

Nobody better than Dillon Brooks at hijacking offensive possessions.
— Thunder Film Room (@ThunderFilmRoom) August 6, 2024

SGA went down swinging today.

27 PTS (game-high)
5 REB
4 AST (team-high)
1 STL
1 BLK https://t.co/XOew2wazB5
— Brandon Rahbar (@BrandonRahbar) August 6, 2024

Shai is going to out fighting and swinging when it comes to big time elimination games like this one.

Some stars you will see shy away from the spotlight when their teams need them the most and mail it in.

That’s not Shai, he has been Captain Canada all day against France.
— Michael Martin (@MichaelOnSports) August 6, 2024

Canada’s hopes of medaling fall short, with France snagging a convincing 82-73 win.

Shai’s 25 pts (9-19 FG) could only do so much. Canada’s role players never quite brought it the way France’s did.

Cordinier, Yabusele and Lessort combined for 55 pts.
— Joel Lorenzi (@jxlorenzi) August 6, 2024

Canada is at a size disadvantage against France...

...because of Guerschon Yabusele and Mathias Lessort pic.twitter.com/GUKN7rGyVh
— Jon Hamm (@JonMHamm) August 6, 2024

If you don’t think Shai is top 5 in the world you don’t know ball
— 𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒆 🌩 (@Three_Cone) August 6, 2024

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