Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, De’Aaron Fox make ESPN’s All-NBA Teams
For the last decade-plus, former Kentucky Wildcats have dominated NBA headlines. With so many of them thriving playing at the highest level of basketball, there’s no reason to believe that won’t remain the case for another decade-plus. The 2022-23 season was a perfect example why the BBNBA momentum isn’t slowing down any time soon.
On Thursday, ESPN’s Senior NBA Writer Zach Lowe unveiled his All-NBA Teams for the current season. Lowe is one of the brightest media minds in the league and holds a vote on the NBA’s official ballots. When he speaks, folks tend to pay extra close attention. Which is why it’s such a big deal that he picked a pair of one-time ‘Cats to make his All-NBA Teams.
Lowe tabbed Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder to the All-NBA First Team and De’Aaron Fox of the Sacramento Kings to the All-NBA Third Team, both as guard selections. Gilgeous-Alexander and Fox were both first-time All-Stars this season. If they were to make the All-NBA Teams once those are officially released in May, it would be the first time doing so for both players.
Zach Lowe picked his All-NBA first team. Thoughts? 👀🤩
All of Lowe’s NBA awards picks are on @ESPNPlus ➡️ https://t.co/kcB1oLmWgV pic.twitter.com/QlaiqZ03Rr
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) April 13, 2023
Lowe went on to explain his choices for Gilgeous-Alexander and Fox. He went with SGA over Luka Doncic on the First Team due to the former’s upper hand on the defensive end of the floor and his team’s preseason expectations being much worse than Doncic’s. Gilgeous-Alexander has been setting all kinds of records for OKC this season, most notably becoming the youngest guard in NBA history to average over 30 points per game on at least 50 percent shooting.
In 68 games played for the Thunder this season, SGA averaged 31.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 1.6 steals, and 1.0 blocks in 35.5 minutes per game. The 6-foot-6 slow-motioned point guard shot a career-high 51.0 percent from the field, 34.5 percent from distance, and a career-high 90.5 percent from the free throw line. He’s going to wind up stealing some MVP votes once it’s all said and done.
On Friday night, Gilgeous-Alexander will look to lead OKC into the NBA Playoffs for the first time since the 2019-20 season. The Thunder will take on the Minnesota Timberwolves at 9:30 p.m. EST on ESPN with the winner advancing into the Playoffs as the Western Conference’s eight-seed and a first-round matchup with the top-seeded Denver Nuggets. Lowe also has SGA second on his Most Improved Player ballot behind Lauri Markkanen of the Utah Jazz.
As for Fox, Lowe was more hesitant about sneaking him onto the Third Team. He pointed to Fox’s so-so defense, poor outside shooting percentage, and mediocre advanced stats. But at the same time, there is no denying Fox’s overall numbers. On the season, Fox averaged 25.0 points, 4.2 rebounds, 6.1 assists, and 1.1 steals in 33.4 minutes per game across 73 contests for the shockingly good Kings, which will participate in the Playoffs for the first time since the ’05-06 season.
“(Fox) played almost 2,500 minutes in 73 games for a No. 3 seed that doesn’t have much off-the-bounce depth,” Lowe wrote. “Fox was perhaps the league’s best crunch-time player, and those gorgeous last-second leaners and fadeaways had a material effect on Sacramento’s win total.”
Fox and the three-seeded Kings will take on the defending champion Golden State Warriors in the first round of the Western Conference Playoffs. Not an ideal scenario for the NBA’s best story of the year, but a perfect opportunity for Fox and company to prove the regular season was hardly a fluke. Game 1 of that series begins on Saturday at 8:30 p.m. EST on ABC in Sacramento.
Immanuel Quickley also receiving his flowers
But SGA and Fox weren’t the only former ‘Cats to earn praise from Lowe, who also believes that New York Knicks shooting guard Immanuel Quickley is deserving of the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award, beating out the likes of Malcolm Brogdon (BOS) and Austin Reaves (LAL).
IQ finished his third NBA season playing in 81 games (21 starts) with averages of 14.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1.0 steals in 28.9 minutes per game. He shot 44.8 percent overall, 37.0 percent from distance, and 81.9 percent from the charity stripe. There were times throughout the season when he was New York’s most dangerous scoring option.
“Once Quickley’s 3-point shooting normalized, he sprinted shoulder-to-shoulder with Brogdon,” Lowe wrote. “Quickley outshot Brogdon on 2s, and is just about Brogdon’s equal as a playmaker — more chaotic, but just as effective. He’s a better defender — almost impossible to screen, arms in passing lanes, a sneering annoyance. Quickley is one of the league’s best rebounding guards.”
Quickley will join fellow former Wildcat Julius Randle in the Eastern Conference Playoffs with a first-round matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Game 1 is set for Saturday at 6:00 p.m. EST on ESPN in Cleveland.
