Arguably having the best seat in the world, Josh Giddey had a firsthand experience in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's superstar rise after sharing a backcourt with him for three seasons. He saw him go from a first-time All-Star to MVP runner-up.
Even though Giddey is no longer on the Oklahoma City Thunder and has enjoyed being back in a primary ball-handler role with the Chicago Bulls, he's seen enough from a distance to know Gilgeous-Alexander should take the next step of his meteoric ascension by capturing the MVP award.
"Behind the scenes, not everybody gets to see what he's like. He's an incredibly hard worker. I haven't been around a lot of MVPs or anything in league, but from what I've gathered, he's one of the most humble superstars in the league," Giddey said. "Puts his head down. He goes to work every single day. He treats everybody respectfully. When you're around a guy like that, you want to follow by example."
The Thunder spoiled Giddey's return to OKC with a 145-117 win over the Bulls. It was another monster outing by Gilgeous-Alexander where he made 27 points and 12 assists feel forgettable.
"My rookie year, he was still ascending," Giddey said. "The last two, three years, he's turned into arguably the best player in the world."
Even though it didn't work out on the Thunder, Giddey holds no ill will against them. Probably tough to accept at the moment, being benched in the playoffs had the writing on the wall for a probable divorce between both sides. Nearly a year later, they're both happy with the move. Giddey vouching for Gilgeous-Alexander to win the MVP award this season is the latest example of that mutual happiness.
"I think he is. Watching from afar, I watch a lot of Thunder games still because I'm close with a lot of guys. I've seen it firsthand for three years what he can do and how he can lead a team," Giddey said. "Seeing it this year, I think more of the world is starting to see it. But I think he's the MVP."
This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: Josh Giddey thinks Shai Gilgeous-Alexander should win MVP award
