Predicting the 10 NBA stars who will still be dominant in five years

3) Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

After a strong rookie season, Shai was shipped from the Clippers to the Thunder as a part of the Paul George trade. It is safe to say that since then, he has exceeded even the wildest expectations as far as the player he could become.

Known for his herky-jerky style, Shai is nearly impossible to defend 1 on 1 and has quickly become one of the most dominant scorers in the league. Now in his 6th season, Shai is averaging over 30 ppg for a second straight season, as well as a career high 6.5 apg. He also takes great pride in his defensive prowess and has become a true complete player, leading the league in steals per game this season at an impressive 2.2 a night.

Last season, Shai earned his first All-Star selection and ultimately went on to earn an All-NBA First Team selection. This year, he has the Thunder atop the Western Conference standings and has become a full-fledged MVP candidate. In fact, on most sportsbooks, he is viewed as the second most likely to win the award, only behind Nikola Jokic.

Shai has improved every year since he entered the league and is now a bonafide superstar at just 25 years old. Given his incredible ascension as an individual, and the fact that the Thunder are set up to contend for years to come, he will certainly be a fixture among the league's best players over the next half-decade.

The Paul George trade has become infamous in years that followed. It is well known among NBA fans that Kawhi Leonard pushed the Clippers to acquire George before agreeing to sign with them. Had Kawhi known the player Shai would ultimately become, it is fair to assume that he likely would have been content to wait a couple of seasons for Shai to ascend to superstardom, rather than gutting the Clippers future assets.