5 ascending candidates to become the next ‘Point God’ of the NBA

NBA Point God Candidate No. 3: Josh Giddey, Oklahoma City Thunder

Josh Giddey isn’t as seasoned as Gilgeous-Alexander. But his all-around game is enticing, not just for the future of the Thunder, but for the future of the league as a whole. The Aussie burst onto the scene as a rookie, averaging 12.5 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 6.4 assists per game. The sixth overall draft pick was a member of the All-Rookie Second Team before turning 20 years old.

One area where Giddey is lacking is his jump shot. He only hit 26.3 percent of his three-point attempts last season. He’s still young, of course, and improving his jumper could elevate Giddey into a top-tier player.

Giddey is a point guard, but he doesn’t look like one, which feels like the future for the position. In a sport where Ben Simmons and Magic Johnson can dominate in spurts at a bigger size, Giddey resembles those before him at 6-foot-8 and 205 pounds.

He doesn’t appear to be playing as quickly this season, but not because he’s lost his acceleration. Instead, it seems like he’s trying to play a bit smarter, methodically taking the ball up the court before calling out sets and getting his team into position.

Giddey suffered an ankle sprain, which has caused him to miss some time at the beginning of the season. That should do little to dull his long-term potential as a point god.