Fantasy Basketball Risers: 5 young stars dominating through Week 2

Fantasy Basketball Risers 1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is better than advertised.

It’s no secret that OKC Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is a remarkable talent, but the fact that he’s scoring 31.5 points per game through his first five contests is genuinely stunning. The 6-foot-6 guard is beginning his fifth NBA season by focusing on what he does best: slashing. He’s been relentless in his pursuit of the bucket, converting on 52-of-100 shots from inside the arc to this point in the year.

So what’s changed? Well unlike in years past, Shai hasn’t been forcing his 3-pointers as much. He’s taking under four 3-point attempts per game for the first time since his sophomore year, and in turn, he’s shooting the second-best percentage of his career to date. It’s increasing his overall percentages and allowing him to focus on the skills that make him great.

That also includes leveraging his scoring talent into assists for others and defending multiple positions on the perimeter. He’s up to seven per game through early returns, which would be a career-high if it sustains. His defensive intensity has been palpable, and it’s translating to the box score. SGA is averaging 2.4 steals and 1.2 blocks (both career-highs) through five games.

In fairness, it’d be extremely difficult to keep this kind of production up for a full 82 games. Heck, I doubt Gilgeous-Alexander plays anywhere close to 82 games given the state of the OKC Thunder. Still, it’s fantastic to see him living up to his potential and serving as one of the top options in all of fantasy basketball through Week 2 of the season.