The Oklahoma City Thunder are one of the NBA’s most unstoppable teams this season. While Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is a major reason for the Thunder’s on-court success, the team’s extraordinary draft capital, created by long-time general manager Sam Presti, is also important.
Presti picked co-stars and impact players who play more maturely than their years. With the correct inflow of senior presence in the locker room, the Thunder will become even more terrifying as their elite players develop.
Josh Giddey is a supplementary contributor who contributes significantly to the team’s success. While he may not have the same influence as SGA, his willingness to play a different role on the team has contributed to his successful career.
Josh Giddey enjoys playing hard basketball for the OKC Thunder.
Giddey stands taller than most NBA guards at 6’8″. This characteristic allows Mark Daigenault to play the Australian in positions other than the backcourt.
While this wasn’t a situation the third-year guard was used to playing before he entered the league, he’s adjusted to the physicality of the game. He even claimed that he’s learned to love playing physical with the league’s bruisers.
He had this to say about his situation with the team, per Thunderous Intentions’ Mark Nilon:
We’ve kind of always had small-ball fives so I’ve had to help out on the boards and defensively guard bigger guys. Over time its naturally increased but I love rebounding. It’s a way to push the break [and] get out on a run, so being in there more you’re going to get hit a bit more and I love those type of plays. Obviously guarding bigs helps with that but just understanding trying to bring a level of physicality that’s contagious and that other guys can kind of follow.
This exposure to physicality helped Josh Giddey develop into one of the Oklahoma City Thunder’s most impressive players. In 77 games this season, he averaged 12.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 4.8 assists on 47.6% shooting, 34.5% from three, and 79.7% from the free throw line.
As Giddey evolves alongside the rest of the OKC squad, Thunder fans and opposing teams can anticipate him to become the swiss army knife that will help the Thunder win the most important games in the future.
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