Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on Kentucky: "I love the way you guys play basketball"

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander may only have one year of college under his belt academically, but he’s got a doctorate in basketball. His graduation status was made clear this past season, averaging 31.4 points on 51.0% shooting, 34.5% from three and 90.5% at the line while adding 5.5 assists, 4.8 rebounds and 1.6 steals per contest en route to All-Star and All-NBA honors. He also signed a five-year, $180 million max contract extension back in August 2021 — a deal he’s on pace to outplay by the time he becomes an unrestricted free agent in 2027.

The 25-year-old superstar knows basketball, and fortunately for his former school, he loves the way the Kentucky Wildcats play the game.

Meeting with the team in Toronto during the 2023 GLOBL JAM, Gilgeous-Alexander told John Calipari‘s current group he respected their abilities and their unselfishness as a unit. And if they could keep the chemistry and camaraderie strong, they’d be a tough team to stop by season’s end.

“I just want to say a few things. I love the way you guys play basketball,” Gilgeous-Alexander — introduced as ‘max deal’ by Calipari — told the Wildcats. “You guys move it, you play for each other, you can all pass, shoot and dribble. That’s going to take you guys a long way. That’s where the league is going, I’m sure you guys know that.

“Keep being selfless, keep working hard — I’m sure you guys hear it all the time. You guys are talented, and if you stay together, you will be very good, for sure.”

The Wildcats defeated Team Canada twice in the event — both blowouts — with the second giving Kentucky a gold medal. Gilgeous-Alexander, a native of Toronto, admitted he was cheering for his home country while sitting courtside for the first matchup on Thursday.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on the Kentucky bench here in Toronto pic.twitter.com/YyWLjs9vTk

— Jack Pilgrim (@JackPilgrimKSR) July 14, 2023

But his love and respect for Calipari and the Kentucky basketball program remain strong.

“(UK) changed the course of my career,” Gilgeous-Alexander told SportsNet during the television broadcast. “You had to fight for everything you wanted to get, especially with so much talent around you. And you learned that from day one. It’s so competitive in that gym and you really get better every day. And I found myself getting better every day in that gym and I got to my ultimate goal.”

Calipari brought up Gilgeous-Alexander’s comments to his team to close out GLOBL JAM, adding that his former guard standout’s analysis is exactly what he hopes Kentucky’s identity is this season.

“Shai Alexander just said to me, ‘I loved watching them play because they pass to each other, play off of one another, they can all dribble, pass and shoot,'” Calipari said. “It’s not a track meet, it’s not a wrestling match, it’s basketball. You may look at them and say, ‘They’re small, they’re skinny, they’re this,’ but they can all dribble, pass and shoot. It was great seeing him.”

The Wildcats are passing the eye test for the fourth-leading scorer in the NBA this past season. I’ll take his word for it.