Former Thunder Kendrick Perkins Labels Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as Top-Four FIBA Talent

As FIBA match play ramps up, the NBA discourse surrounding the league’s international players increases as well. For former Thunder center and ESPN NBA analyst Kendrick Perkins, he released a list of his top five FIBA stars on Tuesday.

Here are the results:

Anthony Edwards (USA)
Luka Doncic (Slovenia)
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (Jordan)
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Canada)
Dennis Schroder (Germany)

Gilgeous-Alexander comes in at No. 4 on Perkins’ list, behind the Minnesota Timberwolves’ Edwards, Dallas Mavericks’ Luka Doncic and former NBA talent Hollis-Jefferson. The sole player behind Gilgeous-Alexander is former beloved Oklahoma City guard Dennis Schroder, who signed with the Toronto Raptors this offseason.

Gilgeous-Alexander receives this recognition following a massive performance against Spain, helping lead Canada to a 88-85 victory off a 30-point outing alongside seven assists and three steals. Furthermore, 11 of those 30 points came in the final 1:51 of the contest, proving to be an imperative stretch to clinch the win.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 11 points in the final 1:51 of this close win. That was incredibly clutch.

Canada moves on. pic.twitter.com/TOge609olP
— Nick Crain (@CrainNBA) September 3, 2023

There may be some controversy with Perkins’ results, though, as the debate of Gilgeous-Alexander and Doncic as the better player under 25-years old has been circulating heavily as of late. The duo is familiar with each other from battling in the West the past few seasons.

Last year, they bounced impressive performances off one another. One, where Gilgeous-Alexander posted 38 points and a near triple-double in a 117-111 Thunder win, and another, where Doncic also posted 38 points and a near triple-double in a 121-114 Mavericks win.

Even in those tense, early-season contests, both players accounted for 30-plus points in each of their respective losses.

We’ll get to see another intense matchup between the two superstars on Wednesday, as Gilgeous-Alexander and Canada will suit up and take on Doncic and Slovenia. This could answer the viability of Perkins’ list ahead of the quarterfinal contest, and also segway the couple to yet another exciting season of Oklahoma City vs. Dallas in 2023-24.

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