Oklahoma City Thunder: 3 players facing most pressure in 2019-20

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander‘s rookie season went about as smoothly as he could’ve hoped: named a starter a month into the season, stayed healthy, and contributed on a playoff team.

For most second year players who have a successful rookie campaign though, year two comes with higher expectations and more pressure to produce.

By all accounts Gilgeous-Alexander’s rookie season was a success, eventually earning him All-Rookie second team Team honors. He achieved that success while flying relatively under the radar.

If things with the LA Clippers remained status quo through the summer, SGA would have expectations to continue getting better but there wouldn’t be much pressure.

Now he is the crown jewel in the Oklahoma City Thunder’s rebuilding era. The lone young, promising, tangible player acquired when the team traded away its two pillars.

That expectation to continue growing is now at the forefront and the second year guard will feel the pressure of being expected to emerge as a foundational player rather than an auxiliary one.

Gilgeous-Alexander is a promising young player whom many believe will be a multi-time NBA All-Star before his career is done. His former coach Doc Rivers raved about the rookie’s demeanor and style of play.

Their Clippers team didn’t face many expectations so the team — and Shai’s — success came as a pleasant surprise.

Now those expectations for the lanky University of Kentucky product have shifted. For a 21-year-old, that pressure will begin to build.