Thunder End of The Year Report Card: Theo Maledon
InsideTheThunder.com continues its end of season grades, next evaluating Oklahoma City s surprising rookie Theo Maledon.
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Thunder rookie Theo Maledon was full of surprises in his debut season.
At 19-year-old, Maledon was one of the youngest players in the league, but played with veteran-like poise. The French product was a bit of a mystery pre-draft, having professional experience and being heralded by Spurs legend Tony Parker.
Here is SI Thunder s end of season grades for Maledon:
Ryan Chapman s Grade: B+
Coming in as the No. 34-overall pick, even Theo Maledon probably didn’t expect how much playing time he would truly get in his rookie season.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has Bought in, and That s a Major Win for the Oklahoma City Thunder
In year one of OKC s rebuild, their star showed improvement on the court, and great leadership off of it.
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Embarking on a complete organizational teardown can be risky.
There are no guarantees that in three to five years, what emerges from the ashes will be a contender. And in the meantime, there is a risk that the assets who stay with the team for the entire journey will have their development hampered or even become disillusioned with winning.
But through one year of the Oklahoma City Thunder rebuild, budding star
Oklahoma City Thunder Season Review: Horford and Gilgeous-Alexander Shut Down - Sports Illustrated Oklahoma City Thunder News, Analysis and More si.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from si.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
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Oklahoma City Thunder general manager Sam Presti told reporters Thursday that guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander may not have to undergo surgery to address the foot injury that ended his season.
After the Thunder launched into a rebuild by trading Chris Paul to the Phoenix Suns, Gilgeous-Alexander took an even more prominent role in the team s backcourt.
The 22-year-old built on his 2019-20 breakout season, averaging career highs in points (23.7), assists (5.9) and field goal percentage (.508). In a 102-99 win over the San Antonio Spurs on Feb. 24, he erupted for a career-high 42 points, eight rebounds and four assists.
Unfortunately for Gilgeous-Alexander, plantar fasciitis in his right foot brought his year to an abrupt halt. After his absence had extended beyond a month, head coach Mark Daigneault said he had suffered a significant tear, so the Thunder weren t in a rush to get him back on the floor.
Thunder End of The Year Report Card: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander si.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from si.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.